Table Of ContentTerttu Leney and Liisa Needham
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Finn Talk
yksi, kaksi, kolme ...
yks, kaks, kolme
Part One of a Multimedia Finnish Language Course
Finn Talk
yksi, kaksi, kolme ...
yks, kaks, kolme
Part One of a Multimedia Finnish Language Course
Terttu Leney
Liisa Needham
Published by
Finn-Guild, London
Kansanvalistusseura, Helsinki
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Finn Talk multimedia Finnish language leaming package was a project launched
by Finn-Guild to mark Finland's 80th year of independence, and the whole idea
was originally the brainchild ofMarjatta Bell, Finn-Guild's General Secretary. Her
single-minded drive and enthusiasm spurred us on from the beginning to the end.
The project has been funded jointly by Finn-Guild and Kansanvalistusseura. They
both also received grants för this project from the Ministry ofEducation in
Finland, where Matti Gustafson, Deputy Director-General of Dept. för
International Relations, acted as the principal mover and shaker.
The expertise on multimedia learning packages came from Ilona Koskela, Head of
Language Studies at Kansanvalistusseura, who also provided assistance with
decisions regarding the use of colloquial Finnish and organised the printing ofthe
books and recording of tapes and CDs.
We would like to express our special gratitude to them all.
Our warmest thanks are also due to Mertsi Fisher för liaising with the publishers
and för her generous hospitality during our project meetings and to Roger Harvey
för proof reading the English.
Finally, we would like to thank Laihia Museum of Stinginess and the Savonlinna
Opera Festival för their kind permission to use their materials.
Opinhalua ja -iloa kaikille opiskelijoillemme!
In London and Olney
January 2001
Terttu Leney and Liisa Needham
lfyou wish to get a copy of "Finn Talk neljä, viisi, kuusi ... neljä, viis, kuus",
part two of this course, or additional audio cassettes or CDs, please contact:
Finn-Guild Kansanvalistusseura
33 Albion Street Museokatu 18 A
London SE16 7JG 00100 Helsinki
Great-Britain Finland
www.finn-guild.org www.kvs.fi
Design, layout, art work, covers and page setting: Tim Leney
Photography: Terttu Leney
Additional photography: Liisa Needham, Tom Leney and David Pugmire
Additional illustration: Kaarina Enticknap and Elina Needham
Copyright© Finn-Guild, London, Kansanvalistusseura, Helsinki, Terttu Leney,
Liisa Needham 2001
Printed by Capella Finland Oy, Helsinki 2001
ISBN 951-96004-4-2
Sisällysluettelo
Contents
2 About the Finn Talk course
4 About the Finnish Language
9 About Colloquial Finnish
( 16 ( 106
• lntroductions 3 € 24 • At work 3 € 117
1
• Languages 26 • Holidays 1119
&.
• Nationalities &. 27 • A day trip 124
,, 30 ,,. 126
( 32 ( 128
•Home town 3 € ~ 3 €
41 .~.-- • Directions 136
1
• Professions 42 1138
&. I'- • Locations &.
• Work places 44 .N.- - 140
,,. 48 ,,. 144
7
( 50 ( 146
N
CO • At home 3 € 61 <..-D- • At the coffee 3 € 154
<D
""" • ln a library 1 63 table 1157
en
&. I.[) &.
~ • The weather 65 .~.-- • Finnish food 160
,,. 68 ~,. 162
3 8
( 70 ( 164
• Persona! 0
3 € 3 €
information 79 .C.-O- • ln a cafe 173
1
80 1174
• Hobbies &. (") • Eating out &.
• lnterests 84 '. ~ ;, : .<.D-- 177
(,_ ,,. 86 ,,. 180
9
( 88 ( 182
..--
0~ • Family 3 € 95 0 • Travel 3 € 193
..-- • Friends 1 97 N arrangements 1195
..--
CI'O- • Relatives &,,..1 01042 .C.-O- • Festivals &. 198
,, 201
5 10
202 - Reference section: About the structure, Good to know, Numbers and Tutor exercises
( Dialogues 3 € Good to know 1 Structure &. Exercises ,,. Key to exercises
FINN TALK
1
Finn Talk kurssista
About the Finn Talk course
Finn Talk yksi, kaksi, kolme ... yks, kaks, Dialogues. Each dialogue is set out
kolme is part one of a multimedia Finnish with standard Finnish Yleiskieli on the
language leaming package designed to meet left and colloquial Finnish Puhekieli on the
the varying needs of the beginner or near right. There is a sentence to set the scene.
beginner studying alone. It is also suitable för
leamers who wish to refresh their Finnish. The
Viides dialogi
course can also be used with a teacher in a Fifth dialogue
class. Finn Talk offers an opportunity to leam
Yleiskieli Standm-d Finnish and Puhekieli
Erkki and Ossi are both from Laihia.
Colloquial Finnish.
't'l.toio.IMla
Erkki: Minä o en Laihialta Ma oon aihialta.
Ossi: Niin minäkin! Asulko sinä Niin mäkin! Asut sä siellä?
Part one of Finn Talk consists of: siellä?
En asu. En asu.
0"1 En minäkään. Enmäktiån.
• Text book with 10 units
• One audio cassette / CD of dialogues All the dialogues are recorded on the CD /
in standard Finnish yleiskieli cassette. Each dialogue or set of dialogues
• One audio cassette / CD of dialogues is föllowed by Useful phrases. Tuen
in colloquial Finnish puhekieli comes Vocabulary set out like this:
Depending on the nature and inclination of Verbs:
the leamer it will take between six months to puhua, puhun, puhuu, puhui to speak
a year to complete the ten units in Finn Talk ~
1 \ \
yksi kaksi kolme. .. yks, kaks, kolme. to speak I speak s/he speaks s/he spoke
Aims of the Finn Talk course Nouns (also adjectives and pronouns):
koti, kodin, kotia, koteja a home
The course is suitable för all leamers of \ ~ ~ ~
Finnish as it offers an opportunity för each a home of a home home homes
leamer to study at his or her own pace and in
the way that suits him or her best. The W ords where the stem remains unchanged
various components of the course make it may just show case endings:
possible för the leamer to study the same
materia! from different angles, and with talo, -n, -a, -ia a house
different degrees of complexity. \~~
a house of a house house houses
Using the Finn Talk course
Q.P Good to know. This section has
First it is a good idea to read the section ctb cultural background införmation.
About the Finnish Language, page 4, There is an index of all topics covered at
and to pay particularly attention to the the end of the book.
guidelines on pronunciation. The section
About colloquial Finnish explains the • About the structure clarifies and
main differences between standard and • explains grammar and idioms. At the
colloquial Finnish. end of the book you will find an Index of
the grammar covered in the About the
ln each unit you will find structure sections.
• ln this unit you will learn ... A short !:>.. Exercises Fifteen tasks to test your
outline on what you are about to leam. /JJ& progress and what you have leamt in
FINN TALK
2
the unit. Any exercise with a listening task is doing the exercises. lt might be a good idea
recorded on the cassette / CD at the end of not to write the answers in the book so that
each unit of the standard Finnish version you can use the exercises för revision.
föllowed by any tutor exercises with a
listening task. The listening exercises are For further practice you may have chosen to
indicated in the text book with the symbol: .C work with a tutor. Do the tutor exercises and
send them to the tutor för comments.
wt"'' / Key to exercises gives the answers
~ to the exercises. You can use the illustrations and photographs
in the book to develop your descriptive
Suggestions on how to study this course writing and speaking skills.
Beföre you listen to the dialogue, read the Above ali use the course in the way that suits
introduction in English to set the scene. Then you best. Don't förget that leaming is meant
listen to the recording of the dialogue in to be fun, not a grind.
standard Finnish at !east once beföre you read
the text. Try and get the gist of what is being Whatever your reasons för studying Finnish,
said. lt is a good idea to do this, it will you will find that to stay motivated you need
prepare you för rea! life situations. You may to set yourself precise short-term aims. Also
not understand everything when you listen to think about which skills are your priority:
the recording för the first time, but don't let speaking, listening, reading or writing.
this worry you. You can always look at the Although these skills are ali interrelated it is
text ifyou need to. important that you föcus on the ones most
important to you.
Ifyou decide to learn the colloquial Finnish,
listen to the colloquial version of the dialogue Organise your time
after you have listened to the standard
Finnish version. You will find that it is not so Don't be over-ambitious. Have realistic
difficult to föllow colloquial Finnish. expectations. Decide how much time you can
Remember that while the written versions of regularly devote to learning. Remember most
the colloquial dialogues are there för your people need plenty oftime and practice to
support colloquial Finnish is not usually build up confidence and proficiency. Research
written down. shows that on average learners förget about
80% of what they have studied within twenty
This same approach should be used with the föur hours unless they review what they have
listening exercises. Listen first and then look leamed. So little and often is good. To build
at the text. Read the questions to föcus on your confidence in speaking, if you are
what you should listen för. Listening without studying alone, is important. Record yourself,
looking first will increase your confidence listen to yourself and use every opportunity to
and understanding, even if you only speak with Finns or other learners. If you
understand a little at frrst. When listening to have access to the intemet, Finnish web sites
dialogues use your pause button to anticipate and chat rooms provide a good opportunity to
the responses, become an active partner by practise your Finnish.
assuming the role of one of the characters
and use your own responses. Working with a tutor
To reinförce what you have leamt you can go There is a section at the end of the book with
back and listen to the dialogues in previous exercises to be sent to a tutor. Ifyou wish to
units once you get further into the course. have a tutor, contact:
This will both consolidate what you have
learnt and give you confidence to go into new Kansanvalistusseura
language situations without worrying. Museokatu 18 A
00100 Helsinki
Look at the Useful phrases and then listen Finland
again to see how much more you can
understand. Study the Vocabulary. Read the www.kvs.fi
text and analyse it, if you wish, using the
About the structure section in the unit.
Finally check what you have leamed by Onnea matkaan! Good Luck!
FINN TALK 3
>.
•
Suomen kielestä
About the Finnish language
About the Finnish language in general
Finnish is one of the languages in the Finno-Ugrian group of languages, with Hungarian and
Estonian as their linguistic relatives, together with several Finnic languages spoken in the Westem
parts of Russia and some parts of Siberia. Finnish is now one of the official languages of the
European Union.
Finnish is an inflectional language. This means that endings are added to words to change the
meaning of the word. For example a house is talo; the ending -ssa added to the word talossa
means in a house. The endings are ali explained in the course as they occur.
There are two distinct forms of modern Finnish. The standard Finnish yleiskieli or kirjakieli
is the form used in printed form, newspapers, non-fiction books, instructions, public notices and
formal speeches etc. The other form is the spoken, colloquial Finnish or puhekieli, which is used
in daily communication between Finns in everyday situations and increasingly in the media, when
the language is spoken and not written. fu this course all dialogues appear both in standard and in
colloquial Finnish. Ifthe leamer decides to leam the standard written Finnish only, it is still useful
to be able to follow spoken Finnish. The leamer should be aware that when one uses colloquial
forms the listener may assume the speaker is more fluent than he or she is.
Finnish can be described as a phonetic language, though there are some instances where this is
not strictly speaking true. For general purposes of leaming Finnish, one can say that each sound
is represented by one letter and each letter only represents that one sound.
There are eight vowels in Finnish: (a ei o u y ä ö). Ali the vowels can appear in short or long
form. There are 13 consonants in native Finnish words: (d g hj k l m n p r s tv). The rest ofthe
consonants (b c f q w x z å) only appear in words borrowed from other languages. Consonants can
be single or double.
When a consonant appears in double the two letters belong to two different syllables. For
example kukkaflower divides into two syllables (-is used to mark syllable division) kuk-ka. The
first ofthe double consonants is pronounced at the end ofthe first syllable and the next consonant
starts the second syllable. Being aware of this gives the speech its natural rhythm in Finnish.
Compare this to the word kuka who, where the syllable division is ku-ka. Note that the
consonants d, h, v, j are normally single. It is very important to leam to distinguish between the
single and the double forms of vowels and consonants. Once you can hear the difference it will
make pronunciation easier. See what difference the number of vowels and consonants can make:
tuli fire
tuuli wind
tulli customs
Finnish has no gender. There are no separate feminine, masculine or neuter words. Even the
Finnish pronoun hän means both he and she.
Finnish has no articles. The difference between the indefinite, something new or something
talked about för the first time and the definite, something already spoken about or familiar, is
expressed in various ways in Finnish. This can be done, för instance, by word order:
FINN TALK
4
Pöydällä on kirja. There is a book on the table.
Kirja on pöydällä. The book is on the table.
The stress is always on the first syllable. The stress is not marked in writing.
Finnish words divide into syllables as follows:
1. before one consonant: 2. between two consonants:
ta-lo a house tyt-tö girl
Suo-mi Finland kuk-ka flower
ku-va picture leh-ti paper, leaf
3. before the last consonant in a 4. between two vowels which do not form
group ofthree consonants: a diphthong
pank-ki bank rus-ke-a brown
kort-ti card lu-en lread
serk-ku cousin te-le-vi-si-o television
A syllable which ends in a consonant is called a closed syllable and a syllable which ends in a
vowel is called an open syllable. This information will help you to understand some of the
grammatical features ofFinnish.
The Finnish Alphabet
A aa I ii p pee w kaksois-vee
B bee J jii Q kuu X äks
c see K koo R är y Y.Y
D dee L äl s äs z ts et
E ee M äm T tee A ruotsalainen oo
F äf N än u uu Ä ää
G gee 0 00 V vee ö öö
H hoo
Pronunciation
All approximations of the sounds given are based on standard Southern British English. The
sounds are best leamed by imitating native speakers. Comparisons to English are given as
guidelines only and only·where a close enough approximation to the Finnish sound exists.
The vowels: The short vowel is represented by one letter and the long vowel by two letters. The
long vowel is a continuous sound where the two vowels glide into one long sound without a break
in the middle.
Short vowel Long vowel
a as in mud, but broader aa as in calm, but slightly longer
katu street maa country
talo house sataa it is raining
o as in not, but slightly more open oo as in taught, but more open
tori square joo yes
joki river sanoo he says
u as in cook, but more open uu as in soon, but longer
kuka who? suuri big
usein often muuten ... by the way
FINN TALK
5
ä as inhat ää as inhat, but double the length
mitä? what? sää weather
kännykkä mobile phone pää head
ö as in better öö as in mw-der, but longer and broader
hölmö fool likööri liqueur
höpöhöpö nonsense insinööri engineer
y as in French bureau, but more open yy as in bureau, but double the length
yksi one syy reason
yhteensä altogether myynti sales
i as in sit ii as in seat
lllllll name kiitos thankyou
silta bridge liikaa too much
e as in net ee as in net but double the length
heti immediately menee goes
ensin first of all tulee comes
Vowels also appear in set combinations, which are called diphthongs. In a diphthong the two
vowels glide into each other without a break, but each retains its own sound value ( eg. au equals
a and u as a continuous sound). The two vowels of a diphthong are always in the same syllable.
Diphthongs ending in -i:
ai as in bzke yi has no English equivalent
vai or hyi! Yuk!
aina always lyijykynä pencil
ei as in eight äi has no English equivalent
hei hella päivä day
leipä bread äiti mother
ui as in French Lui öi has no English equivalent
kuiva dry töissä at work
kuin as öisin at night time
oi as in boy
noin approximately
moi hella
Diphthongs ending in -u:
au as in South iu has no English equivalent
sauna sauna bath liukas slippery
auto car miukumauku at sign,@
eu has no English equivalent ou has no English equivalent
seuraava next koulu school
euro the Euro housut trousers
Diphthongs ending in -y:
äy has no English equivalent öy has no English equivalent
täynnä full löyly steam in a sauna
käytävä corridor pöytä table
6 FINN TALK
The remaining diphthongs ie, uo, yö share some linguistic characteristics which will be explained
later.
uo as in poor ie as in French ciel
Suomi Finland mies man
tuo that vielä still
yö has no English equivalent
työ work
yö night
The consonants: There are 13 consonants which appear in native Finnish words. As you will see
many of them are similar to English consonant sounds, with the notable exception of t, p and k.
These consonants are pronounced in Finnish without the aspiration typical of the English
pronunciation. There is no flow of air at the end of the sound, which makes them sound softer than
the English t, p and k.
t as in English but without aspiration
tee tea lotto lottery
tietokone computer kortti card
p as in English but without aspiration
puhelin telephone kippis cheers
paljon much kauppa shop
k as in English but without aspiration
kuiva dry pankki bank
kuuma hot sekki cheque
m as in English
metro metro mummi granny
minä I summa sum
n as in English
numero number ennen before
nolla zero avoinna apen
1 as in English
loma holiday kello clock
lauantai Saturday siellä there
r as in the English sound brr ... when shuddering from cold, but this is only an approximation. The
r sound is a slightly rolling sound in Finnish.
ruskea brown ymmärrän I understand
ruoka food en ymmärrä I don 't understand
s as in English stereo. The s sound is a slightly hissing soundin Finnish. There are some individual
differences in the pronunciation of the letter s.
sata hundred hissi lift, elevator
sana word vessa · toilet
The rest ofthe consonants only appear in standard Finnish in a short form:
d as in door
dollari dollar
dialogi dialogue
FINN TALK 7
