Learning Finnish
Finnish isn’t easy — sisu! Language training is widely available whether you’d like to attend a course, study at university full-time, go to summer university, or study online. Online courses are of particular interest to people planning to move to Finland; Finnish language is commonly cited as the greatest difficulty for foreigners looking for work, as well as in the workplace. Studying online lets you learn a little of the language prior to arriving in Finland.
Finnish Language Schools and Courses
Linguajoy Language Clubs www.linguajoy.fi
Fun language courses for kids aged 1 to 12! Linguajoy offers courses in nine languages: Finnish, English, Swedish, Russian, German, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Italian. More than 20 native teachers, with courses at schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and at Linguajoy’s studio. Courses are also available for adults.
Summer Camps: Each June Linguajoy arranges international language immersion Summer Camps for kids aged 4–15: outdoor activities, games, art, science, and a new language every day! The Summer Camps 2019 schedule included 3 camps; June 3–7 (Mon-Fri), June 10–14 (Mon-Fri), and June 17–20 (Mon-Thu). If you’re interested in 2020 visit linguajoy.fi/en/summercamp/ for info about what to expect!
Phone 040 570 4307
Web www.linguajoy.fi
Facebook www.facebook.com/linguajoy/
Address Heikkiläntie 8, 2nd floor, 00210 Helsinki
Finnjoy: Effective Finnish for Beginners www.finnjoy.fi
Finnjoy’s method emphasizes using Finnish from the very start. The courses in Helsinki are designed to quickly give students a grasp of central aspects of the language so they can use it ‘in action’, facilitating quick and effective learning — just as native speakers do. In addition to classes, exercises done outside class hours are important. The main teaching language is Finnish, and English / Swedish / French may be used when necessary.
Course information and schedules: www.finnjoy.fi
Blog: Finnjoy’s site also includes a blog to help you enjoy all things Finnish, and understand Finn-things you find puzzling! Still in its infancy, the Finnjoy blog has a growing archive of interesting articles about Finnish culture, language, food, events and more.
Onnenkieli Suggestopedic Language Courses www.onnenkieli.fi
Onnenkieli Oy, located in Tampere, uses the suggestopedic system to quickly teach people to speak Finnish. The unemployment office will pay for the course if a person is about to set up a company or get a good job as soon as he/she learns Finnish. Check site for details of courses and programmes: current courses include Finnish for Immigrant Workers and Finnish for Job Seekers
Phone 050 372 3827
Address Hatanpään valtatie 34 D, 33100 Tampere
Finnish Language Course Search www.finnishcourses.fi
InfoFinland: Search for Finnish language courses in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku, according to your starting level and other criteria. Course information is available in Finnish, English or Russian
Medical Finnish Language Courses
MEDI Connection www.mediconnection.fi
Are you a healthcare professional interested in working in Finland? The Suomea sairaalaympäristössä online medical Finnish language courses help doctors, nurses, practical nurses and dentists efficiently attain Finnish language skills for a medical environment, and integrate into the Finnish healthcare system.
Learning with the assistance of analytics, ergonomic social features and AI-powered recommendations makes this a personalized and insightful learning environment.
MEDI Connection’s curriculum enhances the student’s ability to internalize grammar, spoken and written language, and medical terminology, and teaches interaction and integration skills. The course includes a 1 hour 15 minute online lesson each week, with reading, speaking, listening and writing exercises as well as useful information about Finland and Finnish culture. Most reading materials are in the form of dialogue, making the language use as authentic as possible, and the majority of exercises are self-correcting. Teachers can be contacted via messaging and will respond to comments and questions, and each course includes a private tutoring session.
Please visit MEDI Connection for a deeper insight into online medical Finnish courses.
Phone +358 20 735 1700
Web mediconnection.fi Free online demo available
Language Training Apps
Gamified language-learning apps are a great way to learn a new language on the go.
Duolingo: The popular language-learning platform offers free (with ads) language courses in 30+ languages. Duolingo’s long-anticipated Finnish course became available in 2020, with over 50,000 people signing up within 4 days for the “most requested ever” Duolingo course.
Apple iOS and Android apps, and also works great on laptops and desktops.
www.duolingo.com
WordDive: Made in Finland, the WordDive app is highly regarded. “Learn Finnish in 3 months” with a monthly subscription, and you can try a free lesson before signing up. 9 other languages also available. Apple iOS and Android apps.
www.worddive.com
Drops: Drops helps you learn Finnish through fun, fast-paced games with simple mnemonic images. “No reading. No typing. Just five minutes a day.” Available in over 30 languages. Free trial, various subscription packages. Apple iOS and Android apps.
languagedrops.com
Mondly: This platform is comprehensive and offers a ‘school-type’ language education. Free basic trial with full lessons by subscription. Mondly for Business, a professional language learning solution, is also available. Courses in 30+ languages. Apple iOS and Android apps.
www.mondly.com
Free Online Finnish Lessons & Courses
If you don’t have the time or inclination to attend a Finnish course, there are online options. The following are all free, well put together, and genuinely helpful. Most sites have audio so you can practise pronunciation as well.
Comprehensive Courses
Duolingo: The long-anticipated Finnish course became available in 2020. The free (with ads) gamified lessons are fun and effective! Duolingo is great on laptops and desktops, with Apple iOS and Android apps also available.
A Taste of Finnish: Not quite a ‘full language course’ but far more than a phrase-book. This Helsinki University online course was originally intended for incoming exchange students, but has been made available free of charge to everyone. The material comprises 10 chapters, each including three lessons with short texts, dialogues, exercises and grammar. A Taste of Finnish gives you a good picture of the Finnish language; it’s a ‘handy toolbox’ for everyday situations with Finns!
Phrases & Fundamentals
Speak Finnish!: A wide range of materials to help you learn Finnish. Pick up some basic phrases, expand your vocabulary, or discuss language questions in the forums. Speak Finnish! also helps you find ‘language partners’ to practise your Finnish with.
Uuno: Presented by Tampere University of Applied Sciences, UUNO is an internet-based guide to Finnish which presents 10 situations related to everyday Finnish life and culture in the form of comic strips. You will learn useful, basic, everyday Finnish words, phrases and terminology.
Tavataan Taas!: Two-part introduction to Finnish language and culture, presented by the Helsinki University Language Centre. Part 1 introduces Finnish vocabulary used in everyday life. Part 2 proceeds to basic grammar. You can test your knowledge at the linked Finnish websites. Available in English, French, German, Bulgarian.
Digital Dialects: Games for learning phrases, numbers, vocabulary, spelling, verb conjugation and alphabets. Available in English, French, Japanese.
Linguhouse: Phrases and vocabulary broken down into 16 topics. Available in Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish.
Grammar
Suomen Kielioppi: Finnish grammar, broken down into phonology, pronouns, numerals, verbs, conjunctions, adverbs, cases and case endings. Available in English, Finnish, German
Verbix: Conjugate any Finnish verb. If you think that sounds a bit ‘specialised’ or unnecessary, you probably haven’t seen Finnish verb conjugations!
Other Levels
Puhutaan suomea: A magazine featuring articles in Finnish at different levels of difficulty with explanations of vocabulary and grammar. Topics include Finland, Finnish society and the Finnish language. It also provides audio for selected articles, to facilitate the learning process for those not living in Finland.
The Finnish Teacher: Vocabulary, phrases and grammar lessons, and articles about Finland.
Language Training for Businesses
Josbel Oy www.josbel.com
Since 1983 Josbel has specialised in corporate language training, translation services and cross-cultural education. Language courses are available in Finnish, English, Swedish, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Polish, Norwegian, Danish and Swedish. I’m proud to have been a teacher for Josbel during the 90’s, and thoroughly enjoyed working with the government and corporate clients, and the great people at Josbel.
Phone 040 673 1145
Web www.josbel.com
Address Lönnrotinkatu 42, 00180 Helsinki
Studying Finnish at Universities
Universities offer courses in Finnish and Swedish for their international staff and students. Some universities also open their courses to those who are not working or studying at the university. Courses range from beginners’ level to advanced, some progress at an ‘easy’ rate while others are intensive. For details of courses, eligibility to enrol, dates, prerequisite skills etcetera, visit the site of the institution you would like to learn more about.
Aalto University Language Centre www.aalto.fi/en/
Phone 050 522 4705, Address Otakaari 1, Espoo, M wing, 3rd floor
Helsinki University Language Services helsinki.fi/en/language-centre
Open Mon-Fri 10–15, Phone (09) 191 23234, Address Vuorikatu 5 A, 3rd floor, Helsinki
University of Eastern Finland www.uef.fi/en/web/kielikeskus/ > Finnish as a Second Language > Our Finnish Courses
Campuses in Joensuu, Kuopio and Savonlinna. Contact the university regarding Finnish language courses
University of Jyväskylä Language Centre movi.jyu.fi/en/
Open Mon-Fri 8–16, Phone (014) 260 1211, Address Main Campus, Seminaarinmäki, Building O
University of Oulu Language Centre www.oulu.fi/kielikoulutus/ > Finnish for Exchange Students
Phone 0294 480 000, Address Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Linnanmaa
Tampere University Language Centre tuni.fi/en/about-us/language-centre
Phone (03) 355 111, Address Kalevantie 4, Tampere
University of Turku Language Centre utu.fi/en/
Phone (02) 333 5975, Address Horttokuja 2, Turku
University of Vaasa Language Centre www.univaasa.fi/en/
Phone (29) 449 8000, Address Wolffintie 34, Vaasa
Summer Universities in Finland
Introduction
There are 20 summer universities throughout Finland. They operate in tight contact and permanent collaboration with the Finnish universities. Summer universities offer short-term courses, not degree programmes. Nor do they award financial grants for either Finnish or international students; all expenses must be covered by the student. Fees usually vary from 70 euros to 600 euros. The language of instruction is mainly Finnish but some courses are taught in English. Annually more than 1,100 international students participate in summer university courses. Courses are open to everyone but prerequisites and application dates vary so make sure to contact the appropriate summer university for specific information. Courses are increasingly available online.
What Summer Universities Offer
- Open university studies. These courses are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the universities and the students earn ECTS credits.
- Further vocational training
- Preparatory and extramural courses
- Studia general lectures
- Seminars and events on cultural and regional issues
- Univeristy activities for the third age
- See Summer Universities in Finland kesayliopistot.fi/summer-universities-in-finland
Finnish Language Courses at Summer Universities
Course levels vary from level 0 up to level B2-C1. Themed courses, such as oral or written communication, are also available. Summer universities offering Finnish language courses include Kuopio, Central Ostrobothnia, Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Mikkeli, Northern Ostrobothnia, Oulu, Päijät-Häme (Lahti), South Karelia, Tampere, Turku, and Vaasa.
Online courses are growing in number and frequency, making it possible to participate from outside Finland. These courses are increasingly available year-round.
Summer Universities offering Finnish language courses:
kesayliopistot.fi/summer-universities-in-finland
Finnish-English and Multi-language Dictionaries
www.sanakirja.org: Finnish — English — Finnish Dictionary. Sanakirja is not so versatile as Google Translate, but much more comprehensive.
www.babadada.com: Finnish — English — Finnish Dictionary. “The visual dictionary: Every language at a glance” With a fun graphical interface, including numerous other languages.
www.suomienglantisanakirja.fi: Finnish — English — Finnish Dictionary. Quick and comprehensive.
Related Links
Links to other sites are direct to the relevant page, where possible
- Finnish Summer Universities: Each year, for an extended season in summer, 20 universities throughout Finland collaborate to provide an extensive range of Finnish language courses. Check site for current info and details of plans for the next season. Seasonal details will also be published on this page.
- A Fun Look at the Finnish Language provides some interesting Finnish phrases if you feel you are advanced enough!
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