FinnishPod101.com Blog

Once you’ve learned how to say hello, mastering how to say goodbye in Finnish should be really high up on your list of essential language skills to pick up. Knowing a few key parting phrases will help you navigate formal and informal social situations with finesse, and using the right expressions is guaranteed to leave a favorable impression. We’ll start off with the most important Finnish words for goodbye, and then walk you through a number of other expressions that Finns use when parting in different contexts. These include phrases that emphasize your desire to see someone again and phrases that you can use to wish someone well. Once you’ve learned a couple of your favorites, it will be easy to mix and match them to get your message... Show more

Finnish has a reputation of being a difficult language to learn. But is Finnish hard to learn, really?  The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has come up with a difficulty ranking for language-learning based on how different each language is from English. Using this system, FSI has placed Finnish in category IV. In other words, an English-speaker would need approximately forty-four weeks (or 1,100 hours) to reach general professional proficiency in Finnish (speaking and reading). In general, it’s the Finnish grammar that tends to put learners off. However, there are many aspects of the language that learners also find very straightforward and simple! So perhaps we should reframe the question: How easy is it to learn Finnish? Let’s... Show more

Learning a new language is a great adventure. On your journey, you’ll come across many tricky sounds, some confusing grammar, and many words that seem to behave strangely for no good reason...  But all good adventurers come prepared, and we’re here to help you prepare! That is, we’ll shine our spotlight on the ten most common Finnish mistakes, so that your journey will go that much more smoothly. In addition, knowing what Finnish mistakes to watch out for will give you an easier time making yourself understood when speaking with locals. We’ll be looking at common pronunciation mistakes for Finnish-learners, typical mistakes in Finnish grammar, and a few other things that Finnish-learners often struggle with. Be sure to read to the... Show more

Have you ever stopped to think just how often we ask questions on a daily basis? Questions are incredibly helpful in our everyday lives—and doubly so when we’re speaking a foreign language! Learning Finnish conversational questions and answers will not only help you navigate practical situations (like finding a bank) while you’re in Finland, but it’ll also allow you to converse more naturally with Finns in social situations. This guide will introduce you to the basics of forming questions in Finnish. After that, we’ll cover the ten most useful questions in Finnish for beginners. And of course, we’ll go over a number of ways to answer each question, so that you can always be ready with a reply! Table of Contents How to Ask... Show more

Whether you’re looking for more information about the official Finnish Language Proficiency Test (YKI), or are already busy studying for the exam, our comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the test. We’ll start by looking at the benefits of taking this test and how you can register for it. Then we’ll dive into the details about the test itself, and wrap up with useful tips on preparing for the YKI! Table of Contents What is YKI? How Do You Pass the YKI? Conclusion 1. What is YKI? YKI (Yleinen Kielitutkinto) is the National Certificate of Language Proficiency in the Finnish language. The YKI test is intended for adults who wish to demonstrate their Finnish language skills, and anyone is... Show more

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9keulYPsgKM The dreary, freezing Finnish winters are not without their joys! In Finland, like many other countries around the world, the winter season also means the arrival of seasonal fun and heartwarming holidays. St. Lucy’s Day is one such holiday, acting as a symbolic light in the dark for the country. In this article, you’ll learn about the origins of this holiday, how it’s celebrated today, and more fun facts.  Are you ready? Let’s get started. 1. What is Saint Lucy’s Day? In Finland, St. Lucia’s Day is a Catholic holiday that takes place each year on December 13.  It’s observed in commemoration of Saint Lucy, a fourth-century Christian martyr often associated with... Show more

Are you eager to start speaking in Finnish, but worry that you’ll need to tackle a ton of complex grammar rules first? You’ll be glad to hear that the best way to learn a language is actually to jump straight in and start speaking it as soon as possible. And learning the most common Finnish sentence patterns is a great way to start! Our guide will walk you through the top ten sentence patterns that you’ll be using again and again in everyday conversations with Finns. We’ll be keeping things fairly basic so that you can get started fast! Table of Contents Linking Two Nouns: A is B Describing Things: A is Expressing "Want": I Want (to)... Expressing "Need": I Need (to)... / I Have to... Expressing "Like": I Like (to)... / I Love... Show more

You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Finnish! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Finnish keyboard. Table of Contents Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Finnish Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Finnish How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer How to Change the Language Settings to Finnish on Your Computer Activating the Finnish Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet Finnish Keyboard Typing Tips How to Practice Typing Finnish 1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Finnish Learning a new language is made so much... Show more

Verbs are considered the most important part of speech when learning any new language. They describe every single mental and physical activity we do, from the moment we wake up in the morning to falling asleep at night. Even sleeping is full of verbs: you sleep, you breathe, you relax, you dream, you toss and turn, you snore… okay, maybe you snore!  The word ‘verb’ comes from the Latin for ‘word’ - your first indication that it's pretty important. In elementary terms: these are the ‘doing’ words and they exist in every language. Verbs are essential in communication and no sentence can exist without one. When learning to speak Finnish, the verbs you know will be your building blocks to make sentences. Whether you’re commenting on the... Show more

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with languages? Do you desire to learn or advance in Finnish quickly and effectively? Then you need a Finnish tutor. A common question that first-time language-learners ask is "Where do I begin?" The answer? Guidance. For native English-speakers who want to learn Asian languages, for example, timelines provided by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute can appear discouraging. However, defeating these odds is not unheard of. If you want to beat the odds yourself, one of the best learning options is a subscription to Premium PLUS from Innovative Language. As an active Premium PLUS member of JapanesePod101.com and KoreanClass101.com myself, I have an enjoyable experience learning at an accelerated... Show more