Finnish

Finnish has notorious reputation of being a difficult language. Is this true? What is 'a difficult language'? We all learn a mother tongue as children as a matter of course. Finnish children learn Finnish as easily as their counterparts in other countries learn their mother tongue. In this sense Finnish is no more difficult than any other language. But, of course, when people talk about 'a difficult language', what they really mean is a language that is thought to be particularly difficult for a foreign adult learner.

In this article I discuss some features of Finnish which in my experience as a teacher of Finnish to foreigners for many years are perceived as difficult, but in reality are simply different, for example, from English. To illustrate this difference I shall start with some historical background. Secondly, I shall discuss certain points of grammar: phonology (the sound system and pronunciation), morphology (how Finnish words are put together), and syntax (what is special about Finnish sentences). Finally, I shall suggest why and how Finnish has gained its reputation as 'a difficult language'

What do Santa Claus, saunas, suicides, IRC, ammonium chloride, vowels with lots of cute dots on them, reindeer, Nokia cell phones, and gold-medalist ski jumpers who have recently turned into porn stars all have in common? That's right -- they're all Finnish! Who needs sexist languages such as English when Finnish provides the gender-neutral word h�n, which translates as "he or she"? Finnish (or Suomi) is also a much more compact language than English:


You will be able to have some of my apples = Saat omenoitani.

Perhaps not surpsisingly, Finnish is not related to any of the Indo-European languages. Hungarian, Estonian, and Sami (Laplander) are some of its closest living relatives.

Impress your friends at parties with Finnish linguistic trivia! Here is a collection of indispensable phrases to use (and not to use!) while mingling with the restless natives during your travels though Finland, from Hanko to Ivalo!

The Boston Language Institute, New England�s leading language school, offers Finnish language courses to individuals and companies. The quality of instruction provided in our Finnish language classes are on a par with the best native Finnish language school.

We consider it to be the major goal of our program to have you use Finnish in as large a variety of real-life situations as possible. To that end, our Finnish courses have been designed to build fluency in both the spoken and the written language. Please note that unless we have the minimum enrollment of four students at the beginning of each of our four main sessions (consisting of eight weeks), we are not able to offer a regularly scheduled group class. Students have the choice of either placing their names on a waiting list for a possible group class or making arrangements for private instruction.

People learn Finnish for many reasons. Perhaps

you are of Finnish descent and you want to learn something of your heritage and culture.

you have a spouse, parents, or other relatives who speak little or no English and with whom you wish to communicate.

you plan to travel and would like to learn "survival Finnish."

you have visited Finland, fallen in love with the country, and desire to return with an ability to communicate in more fluent Finnish.

Whatever your reason for wanting to learn Finnish, we at the Finnish School are committed to teaching you practical Finnish in a comfortable and enjoyable environment.

Learning Finnish isn't impossible, it's fun!
Although Finnish is known as one of the hardest languages of Europe, don't let this discourage you. It can be both a rewarding and interesting endeavor. To learn any language requires hard work and diligence. But unlike a regular school, the environment here is friendly and entertaining.

Finnish can be learned!
Take the plunge! Be brave!

Some five million Finns have managed it, as have a number of persistent foreigners with a real interest in it.

The Finnish language has many consistencies which facilitate learning:

Every letter has only one sound which is always pronounced the same.

The accent is always on the first syllable of the word.

The verb structure is uncomplicated, and closely resembles the structure in English.

Conjugations and declinations have remarkably consistent rules, with few exceptions.


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The focus of teaching is on guiding students in the learning process and on mastering the necessary skills. Studies get off to a brisk start: all of the basic studies can be completed in the first academic year, and the next stage, intermediate studies, can be taken in the following year. It is also possible for students to write their Master�s thesis in one year: students receive guidance in their thesis writing while taking part in a "thesis group", which lasts for one academic year. Thus, in principle, a full-time student can complete a Master�s degree in Finnish, including the required minor subjects, in four years.

Research results are made use of directly in teaching, and research has been developed with the needs of teaching in mind. In the 1990s, the Department�s research focused especially on spoken interaction, cognitive linguistics, text analysis and Finnish as a second and foreign language. These areas support teaching of both the general skills required by students and the professional skills they will need in the future. Students may choose to specialise in any of these areas by completing corresponding modules in their intermediate and advanced studies. The other modules offered are: language development and change; grammar, vocabulary and semantics; language consultancy; onomastics and linguistic communication

Many educational institutions organize Finnish and Swedish language courses for foreign students. Finnish and Swedish can be studied at vocational adult education centres, folk high schools, adult education centres, general upper secondary schools for adults, at language centres within higher education institutions and summer universities. Courses offer many different levels and durations. Tuition fees also vary

Finnish School is an online tool to help you learn the Finnish language.
How does it work?
It primarily works as a vocabulary builder. Imagine taking all your flashcards and making them into a fun online game. You will be given 20-25 words in either Finnish or English. At first you can use multiple choice. Once you're comfortable with that you type in the word directly. And once you're comfortable with that you take a quiz on those words and move on to a new set of words.
How many vocabulary words are there?
Currently there are over 4,600 Finnish words. More are always being added.
Finnish School tracks your progress
The online tool keeps track of your progress and remembers which word sets you've completed. Login from any computer and continue from where you left off.
Why do I need to sign-up?
For two reasons: Finnish School needs to know who you are so it can remember which word sets you've completed. Secondly, in case you forgot your username/password, it can e-mail it to you.
I don't like giving away my e-mail address
I hate giving mine away too, but I can promise that your e-mail address and account info will NEVER EVER leave Finnish School.
Does this cost anything?
Finnish School has been free for four years now, but because of expensive server costs, I'm asking for a small 5 euro donation. The first three levels are completely free - if you find the web site useful and would like to learn more, I feel 5 euros is a small amount to ask.

Click here to learn more about donating

English Finnish Dictionary, Finish dictionary translate-Finnish to ...English Finnish Dictionary, Finish dictionary translate-Finnish to English translation, try Finnish translator to English translation to help you learn

Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is also an official language in Finland and an official minority language in some parts of Sweden, in the form of standard Finnish as well as Me�nkieli, and in Norway in the form of Kven.