In 1917, Finland finally gained its independence from Russia after a months-long battle. Each year, Finns celebrate freedom and solemnly commemorate those who gave their lives during this time. In this article, you’ll learn about this long battle for freedom and about how people celebrate Finnish independence. Ready? Let’s get started! 1. What is Independence Day in Finland? Independence Day commemorates the day Finland won its independence from Russia. The holiday dates to 1917 when Finland was declared a sovereign nation apart from Russia, where it had been considered a grand duchy. The battle for Finnish independence began with the February Revolution of 1917 and was further pressed with the October Revolution of... Show more

Traveling to foreign countries is nearly always an exciting, enriching, and beneficial experience. Yet, some things can be real downers, such as boredom on a lengthy flight to . Really, binge-watching onboard movies can only be interesting for so long! And jet lag - another huge downer. Did you know that jet lag is more severe when you travel from the West to the East? Well, we won't know how to beat that, but there are fortunately plenty of remedies around to investigate. To beat flight boredom, though, we may have the answer for you at FinnishPod101! Why don't you take the time to study Finnish travel phrases? We make this super easy and fun, with great downloadables, like our PDF Cheat Sheets. Quickly memorize these, and impress your ... Show more

Especially if you're planning a prolonged visit to , using the correct Finnish numbers for counting in Finnish could be very important! Number systems are the other alphabet in any language. In fact, it is a language all of its own, and it serves a multitude of excellent purposes. Table of Contents A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems Why is it Important to Learn Finnish Numbers? Learning Finnish Numbers Why Choose FinnishPod101 to Learn all about Finnish Numbers? 1. A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems 1. The Ishango Bone The origin of counting, and with it numbers, is not clear to historians. While their art showed that prehistoric man had a concept of numbers, the first indication of a formal... Show more

You're learning to speak Finnish, and it's going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Finnish. At Learn Finnish, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Finnish in the process. 1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Finnish Eating out is fun, and often an experience you'd like to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in Finnish. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills...and perhaps your taste in restaurants! Juha eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of the group, and leaves this comment: POST Let's break down... Show more

Learn how to apologize in Finnish - fast and accurately! FinnishPod101 makes it easy for you to make amends. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet - How to Improve Your Finnish Skills! (Logged-In Member Only) Table of Contents Common Ways to Say Sorry in Finnish How To Refuse Something Politely in Finnish Audio Lesson - Survival Phrases "How to Say Sorry" Why You Will NOT Be Sorry For Learning Finnish through FinnishPod101 1. Common Ways to Say Sorry in Finnish Nobody’s perfect, not anywhere in the world. Everybody makes mistakes, and does and says regrettable things. Then it’s time to apologize, as saying ‘I’m sorry’ is not in vain. It can be very healing! Did you know that hearing a sincerely-meant... Show more

Have you ever practiced your Finnish skills by talking to Finns online? Social media and online communities offer endless opportunities to connect and chat with native speakers wherever you are in the world. However, the Finnish you come across online can be a world apart from the standard Finnish you’ve been learning. It’s often peppered with slang words, abbreviations, and acronyms that will have you scratching your head repeatedly. Dictionaries aren’t of much help with internet slang either! Our guide will demystify Finnish internet slang terms so that whether you’re chatting with a Finnish friend on Messenger or taking part in a conversation on a Finnish subreddit, you can do so with more confidence. We’ll start with a general... Show more

How many non-Finnish people do you know who can speak Finnish? Probably not that many! That’s why, when you meet a Finn through work, at a party, or while traveling, you can really make a lasting impression when you know how to introduce yourself in Finnish! Most Finns—especially the younger generation—can speak English pretty well (According to Wikipedia, Finland ranks as the eighth country in the world in terms of English proficiency). However, if you know how to say even just a simple phrase like "My name is" in Finnish, you can break the ice much faster when you meet someone new! Table of Contents Start with a Greeting! How to Share Basic Information About Yourself How to Talk About What You Do ... Show more

When the Summer Solstice comes around in June, the Midsummer celebration in Finland begins! On Midsummer Day, Finland enjoys the warmth of summer with barbeques, time outdoors, and a Midsummer bonfire. Finland's celebrations of Midsummer are rooted in its religious history and have evolved along with its transition to Christianity. Learn about the Midsummer celebration Finland observes each year to gain greater insight into Finnish life and culture! Midsummer's Eve traditions in Finland tell a lot about its culture as a whole, and as any successful language learner can tell you, comprehending a country's culture is essential in mastering its language. At FinnishPod101.com, it's our goal to make this learning journey both fun and... Show more

Get the popcorn ready! It’s time to relax, sit back, and boost your Finnish studies by watching some great movies. Watching Finnish movies is arguably the best way to immerse yourself in the language and culture of Finland (after traveling to the country and interacting with Finns in real life, of course). How come?  1. It’s fun! You can almost forget that you’re learning while you’re enjoying a movie.  2. You’ll train your ear to listen to different dialects of spoken Finnish and can test your Finnish listening comprehension skills in a relaxed environment.   3. You’ll pick up new words and reinforce the vocabulary, key phrases, and sentence patterns that you’ve already learned.  4. You can always put... Show more

Memorial Day for the War Dead (also commonly referred to as Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers) is one of Finland’s most significant holidays. It seeks to commemorate Finland’s losses in various wars, as well as losses from the countries it fought. In particular, the Finnish Civil War sparked the idea for this day of commemoration in the war commander Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. In this article, we’ll be going over what this holiday is and take a look at the wars this day seeks to commemorate. After reading this article, you’ll have a better grasp of Finland’s history and events leading up to its culture today, which is vital for any language-learner. At FinnishPod101.com, we hope to make this learning journey both fun and... Show more