Go from not understanding a word of what your Finnish friends are saying to ‘really getting it’ and being ready to speak with confidence – without memorising all the grammar rules.
(even if you’ve studied Finnish for years without much progress, are a complete beginner or don’t even live in Finland!)
For beginner & intermediate Finnish learners who want to understand the Finnish puhekieli.
If you are spending endless hours studying Finnish grammar rules, but you still can’t understand the real-life spoken Finnish, let alone say something – this is the course you need.
Get the method, material and support with this immersive online course that you can access on your own time.
You know you can live in Finland without speaking the language.
But you also know that fluent Finnish will open up so many opportunities from career options to relationships.
...and preventing you from landing your dream job.
Imagine being able to work in your zone of genius and pursue the career you always wanted – with the level income you wished for when moving to Finland.
You don’t want to miss out on a promotion just because someone else speaks better Finnish!
...whether it's with your in-laws, friends, co-workers, or even with your own children.
English only gets you so far.
You would love to participate in conversations at family gatherings or read your kid's favourite bedtime story – that happens to be in Finnish.
You still can’t understand normal spoken Finnish; frustrating – and a waste of money…
You feel overwhelmed by all the grammar rules, exceptions and irregularities.
You have given up on ever being able to speak Finnish to your friends, partner or colleagues without looking for words or second-guessing yourself.
And sooner or later...
When looking at aspects in which a language can be considered more or less difficult, Finnish in fact passes the test.
The Finnish grammar is highly regular and logical, it uses the mainstream Latin writing system and it doesn’t include rare sounds – all of which make it in fact easier to learn than some other languages out there.
Finnish can feel difficult because it is structurally so different from other languages – but this doesn’t make it universally more difficult than all other languages.
Okay, this one gotta go! It’s straight up not true.
According to science – and my mum who is a psychologist for children – if you learned your native language normally and as well as other children, you do not have difficulties with learning a foreign language.
Being “bad” at languages is extremely rare. If you got poor grades at school, those most probably were caused by an inefficient learning method, not your inability to learn languages.
No matter how much you love learning grammar (I don’t, but everyone’s got their jam), scientific research shows that understanding grammar does not translate into understanding the language, not to mention speaking it.
So you don’t have to be able to name all Finnish cases and explain the rules behind grammatical structures in order to have a fluent conversation with Finns.
You have to be able to understand Finnish – and then you can speak without looking for words or the right conjugation.
Don’t worry, it’s not your fault. Here’s why:
⚠️ Most Finnish courses out there don’t teach the actual language that Finns speak with each other – the spoken language: “puhekieli”. And why would you study Finnish which is only used in the news and books?
⚠️ On top of that, all other courses use traditional language learning methods based on studying grammar, memorising vocabulary lists and translating it into your native language (so boring, let’s face it).
⚠️ And worst of all, most courses are taught in English or another language – so you never actually hear Finnish except a few example sentences or mock-up dialogues.
A secret: that is NOT the best way to learn to UNDERSTAND and SPEAK a language. Language learning is not like mathematics!
NOW, SLOW DOWN YOUR SCROLL FOR A SECOND.
You would be able to communicate effortlessly with Finnish friends, family, colleagues, and partner, with smoother interactions, fewer misunderstandings and expressing your thoughts without hesitation.
I have faced situations that have just been discussed in Finnish Me! For example, when a comedian joked about how slow VR is. I started laughing as hard as the Finnish audience!
This year I have accomplished 2 things that I didn’t even think were possible last year: I can now talk to my neighbours when they invite me for coffee. And I was invited to a Finnish job interview and got a summer job. Unbelievable!
Erina, native Japanese speaker
BUT WAIT, HAVE WE MET YET?
A native Finnish speaker, language freak, whose dream is to help as many Finnish enthusiasts as possible to go from “MITÄ??” to finally understanding and speaking everyday Finnish.
Somebody who is fluent in 5 languages and understands another, and learned them with that natural method that is proposed in Finnish Me.
A true believer in the fashionable qualities of woollen socks – if you’ve lived in Finland, you know!
I’ve had my fair share of trial and error in language learning. But when I discovered the natural method, learning languages became an enjoyable and exciting journey for me.
With a natural method, you will learn the language by absorbing it, listening to it from day 1, understanding more and more until suddenly your brain unlocks the chest of wonders of the Finnish language…
I’ve experienced it each time, learning the 5 languages I speak fluently – and the one I understand fluently. And it feels ecstatic!
Since 2016, I’ve been spreading that joy through my YouTube channel. And today, over 14 000 Finnish learners trust this way of learning.
Speaking languages has made integration in Belgium (that’s where I live!) so much easier. Not only is it easier to take care of life admin and chores in French, but I also feel like I’m part of the Brussels society.
You can achieve this too, and it’s why I created Finnish Me: Understand!
No more Googling 'how to learn Finnish online'.
No more buying grammar books that make you fall asleep.
No more wasting too much time for studying, without ever understanding Finns.
Just a proven system, the right material, and all the language learning knowledge that’s in my natural method and lazy-way-of-learning obsessed brain.
READ REVIEWS IN:
IT'S TIME TO CUT THE WAFFLE AND WELCOME YOU TO...
A complete, step-by-step online course that will get you understanding everyday Finnish so that you can start speaking it with your Finnish loved ones and feel at home in Finland.
Finnish Me: Understand is a self-paced online course for beginner and intermediate Finnish learners. Study whenever and wherever you want with video lessons, and get your dose of classroom environment in our monthly live calls!
It’s the natural method using comprehensible input & following the principles of language guru professor Stephen Krashen, where you will learn Finnish by absorbing it, listening to it from day 1, understanding more and more until suddenly your brain unlocks the chest of wonders of the Finnish language.
You will look forward to your study sessions and start to understand everyday Finnish in no time!
1. 'Active listening' of comprehensible & authentic material in different speeds.
2. Assimilate the grammar with material in different tenses and personas.
3. Practise pronunciation to prepare your tongue & mouth for speaking Finnish.
...so you will not try to learn Finnish by listening to explanations in English!
When you learn through another language, your exposure to Finnish is very limited and you only get the vocabulary of the example sentences.
In Finnish Me: Understand, all lessons are in Finnish - so you will hear it from day 1 and multiply the amount of vocabulary and structures you absorb. But all lessons have translations in English to help you get started if you're a beginner!
...not the formal one - kirjakieli - that is only used in books, news and the president's speeches. Trust me: no one uses kirjakieli in everyday interactions.
With Finnish Me: Understand, you will directly learn the form of Finnish we actually speak and use in every situation.
When you understand puhekieli, you will be able to communicate like a Finn in day-to-day situations: with your friends & family, at work, at the supermarket, at the restaurant, texting with your crush...
...that replaces studying grammar rules with assimilating the Finnish vocabulary and structure - like you learned your native language!
According to science, this is the most efficient way to learn a language - including for complete beginners.
With Finnish Me: Understand, you don't waste time learning theory but the actual language. Instead of learning about Finnish, you learn to understand Finnish - which then gets you speaking faster!
Finnish Me: Understand is currently the only Finnish course using this method.
“Before I joined your course I was pretty good at understanding kirjakieli in what I was reading but I really struggled to understand puhekieli in what I was listening to. What I was doing wasn't working for me and I needed to change it up. I am now able to have conversations with my Finnish relatives and feel way more confident in my ability to understand what they are saying. I am so happy with my progress. Thank you so much for putting this course together and teaching me the natural method!”
"I'm starting to feel more confident with my listening skills and am ready to start listening to Finnish podcasts. You made it clear that we should spend our time listening before worrying about trying to speak - this has lifted a time burden and a mental burden for me. By focusing on lots of listening, my brain is naturally starting to form phrases and sentences in Finnish; I occasionally think to myself or dream snippets in Finnish now! What I love most is I can laugh at Finnish jokes now!"
"I joined Finnish Me in February. In the summer, I went on vacation and was able to chat with other passengers in Finnish. In August, I did a job interview that was mainly in Finnish. It went very well and they complimented me on my Finnish language skills. I was very satisfied and thought that if I could speak Finnish in the job interview, then my skills are really good. Before, I didn't even imagine I could do it. Last year I also spoke a lot of Finnish with my colleagues, even about things related to our research."
Main Lessons – Learn Finnish while learning about Finns & Finland
These main lessons are about 15-minute long videos of normal spoken Finnish that will help you learn:
how to form sentences and questions in Finnish
a ton of useful vocabulary that you need in everyday life
common Finnish expressions.
The videos are about the Finnish culture, life in Finland and Finnish people – so you will learn Finnish while learning how to bond with Finns and take care of practical errands in Finland and in Finnish!
Stories – Assimilate grammar without studying all the rules
Stories are short and simple videos narrated in 2 or 3 different tenses or personas.
They will help you learn automatically how to form the imperfect, perfect or conditional tenses in singular or plural form.
You’ll also learn how to talk about the future without using the future tense!
Pronunciation exercises – Get your tongue used to Finnish
Every chapter includes a pronunciation exercise focusing on the most important sentences of each chapter and the peculiarities of Finnish - things like:
double vowels
diphthongs
compound words
At the end of the course when you’re at the advanced level and ready to start speaking, you’ll be able to pronounce Finnish like a native – even our diphthongs!
Tutorial for the Natural Method – Skip the guesswork & follow the path
In this tutorial you will learn step-by-step how to use this unique method of language learning.
This makes sure you will proceed smoothly and progress faster.
No more guessing how and when to study – I explain all stages from a beginner to advanced so all you need to do is to follow my advice!
THIS IS WHAT KIND OF VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH AFTER EACH CHAPTER.
Intermediates: if you're thinking that you already know these, hear me out:
This is not just what you'll know in theory – you will actually be able to
understand and start speaking using these structures and vocabulary!
CHAPTER 1: MILLASIA SUOMALAISET ON?
Main lesson: How to make Finnish friends, the dos and don’ts of social interactions in Finland, and the truth about Finnish stereotypes.
Stories: Present tense in 1st person singular & plural and 3rd person singular.
Pronunciation: Letters ö, ä and r.
CHAPTER 2: SAUNA SUOMALAISTEN SIELUSSA
Main lesson: How to go to the real Finnish sauna, why Finns love it so much, and the magic related to the sauna.
Stories: 1st person singular in the present, past and future tenses.
Pronunciation: Finnish numbers
CHAPTER 3: SUOMALAINEN SUHTEESSA
Main lesson: How to date a Finn, equality in Finnish relationships, and characteristics of Finnish men & women.
Stories: 3rd person singular in present and past tenses.
Pronunciation: Phrases related to dating and relationships
CHAPTER 4: TERVETULOA NAPAKYMPPIIN
Main lesson: How to ask questions, talking about yourself in Finnish, and getting to know new people.
Stories: Different personas in positive & negative present and past tenses.
Pronunciation: Double vowels and consonants
CHAPTER 5: LAPPI
Main lesson: How to plan your perfect holiday in Lapland: when to go, how to get there, and how to survive the cold!
Stories: 1st person plural in present and past tenses.
Pronunciation: Diphthongs
CHAPTER 6: MISSÄ SUOMALAISET ON PARHAITA?
Main lesson: Why Finland is the leader in education, ice hockey and metal music, and what makes Finland the world’s happiest country.
Stories: 1st person singular in present, conditional and past conditional tenses.
Pronunciation: Compound words
CHAPTER 7: MATKAILU SUOMESSA
Main lesson: How to get around in Finland, the best destinations and must-see places in every Finnish region
Stories: 3rd person singular in present, conditional and past conditional tenses.
Pronunciation: Useful phrases for travelling
CHAPTER 8: KUN LOPULTA PÄÄDYT SUOMEEN
Main lesson: How to find an apartment in Finland, home vocabulary, and tips for job-hunting in Finland.
Stories: Conditional and past conditional
Pronunciation: Phrases related to moving to Finland
CHAPTER 9: TYÖHAASTATTELU
Main lesson: How to ace your job interview in Finnish
Stories: 1st person plural in present, conditional and past conditional tenses.
Pronunciation: Phrases for a job interview
CHAPTER 10: TASA-ARVON SUOMI
Main lesson: Equality in the Finnish society in terms of wealth, gender, sexuality and ethnicity.
Stories: Potential and quasi structures
Pronunciation: Nuances
Finnish-English Double Subtitles – Absorb Finnish through Comprehensible Input
All videos – main lessons, stories, pronunciation, tutorials – have double subtitles in Finnish and in English.
Even if you don’t know a word of Finnish, you can use the course (provided that you understand written English!).
You also get the double subtitles as pdf files, to help you study by reading.
Transcriptions in Finnish – Learn Finnish by reading
All videos also have a transcription in Finnish, so you can study by reading.
The pdfs also include explanations of Finnish expressions used in the lessons.
You get the transcriptions both as beautifully designed pdfs to support visual learning, and simple Word files for note-writing and printing.
Audio files – Study whenever and wherever you want
If you don’t want to sit at your screen all day studying Finnish, you can listen to the audio versions of all lessons.
These are downloadable, and coupled with the subtitle pdfs, will allow you to study offline when you don’t have access to the internet.
Yes please!
This is a compact lesson for complete beginners explaining all you need to know about the characteristics of Finnish before jumping into the world of the Natural Method.
I've been told this is the best 15 minutes they've ever spent on Finnish grammar!
This guide includes concrete tips on how to progress in Finnish even when you’re super busy. With these lists you can maximise your assimilation of Finnish, no matter how busy your life is.
AND you get this guide in Finnish and English!
Personalised advice + celebrating your progress
As a Finnish Me: Understand student, you will get support from me by email.
If you have questions about using the course or you need advice on how to proceed, I’m just an email away.
I also love to hear about your progress, so please share your wins with me!
Monthly motivation-booster + extra practice
We meet every month on Zoom so you can see other students and feel like part of a study group.
You will be able to ask any questions and get tips from other students.
During the second half of every call, you can choose between a live storytelling exercise and a speaking practice with your fellow students.
"I really enjoyed the last Zoom meeting and I felt really encouraged to be able to communicate in Finnish. Thank you for challenging us to move forward!!!"
- Beto, native Spanish speaker
Learn Finnish while learning about Finland, Finns and the Finnish culture with 4+ hours of video and audio lessons
Assimilate grammar with the stories – without studying all the rules!
Start to sound like a Finn with the pronunciation exercises
Follow easily even as a beginner with the double subtitles FIN/ENG in each video
Study by reading with the double subtitles as a pdf and transcriptions of all videos as pdf and Word files
Learn common Finnish expressions used in the lessons with written explanations
Know exactly how to study with the step-by-step tutorial for the Natural Method - I don't teach this anywhere else!
Get email support on using the course from yours truly
Join monthly group calls to get study tips, practise listening or speaking and keep up motivation!
You will also get all future updates for free!
Bonuses:
The Basics of Finnish in 15 minutes – "The best non-grammar grammar lesson": Everything you need to know about the structure of Finnish if you're a complete beginner
The Busy Life Guide – how to learn Finnish even when you’re busy as a bunny
Private lessons can cost you 100€ per lesson. Don't get me wrong, these can be great, but not for everyone's budget!
A traditional Finnish textbook + audio costs around 100€. But you’ll need at least 4 of those to get to the level that Finnish Me: Understand will get you = 400€. AND you only get a limited time to access the material.
You pay 190€ ONCE (or a payment plan of 4x52€ – but that’s it!)
You get lifetime access to the course material + all updates
You will be able to understand normal spoken Finnish at the end of the course (that’s level B2 for you)
PAY IN FULL
Save 18€
You'll get lifetime access to all course material
All updates for free
SPLIT PAY
Start today for only 52€ (+3 monthly payments)
You'll get lifetime access to all course material
All updates for free
COURSE COMBO
Normally 280€
Get everything from the pay in full option + my second course Follow Finnish Conversations with 30€ off
Choose this option here.
You can pay with most debit/credit cards and PayPal.
If you want to pay with a direct bank transfer, please send me an email at hello@learnfinnished.com.
I can tell you put a lot into your enterprise. You care for it conscientiously and offer your students a rich experience. I think I will learn to speak Finnish and that is totally amazing because I have never been able to conquer Spanish – an easy language for an English speaker – and I became convinced that I'm just not good at language. You inspire confidence.
I really loved your "TV dating show" chapter and am never bored in general. In fact, I look forward to the lessons still ahead of me.
Michael, native English speaker
You love studying grammar – that’s totally fine, it just means that Finnish Me: Understand is not for you 😊
You want to push a magic button and suddenly be able to speak perfect Finnish… I’ve designed Finnish Me to be as fun and effortless as possible but you’ll still have some work.
You already understand EVERYTHING you listen to in Finnish – your friends, movies, people from Rauma…
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS:
If the answer is the latter, Finnish Me: Understand will help you get you there.
Everyday I pick up a new vocabulary word or rule and little by little Finnish is becoming more comfortable and natural. Many thanks to you for starting me on this natural method. Although I don't join the monthly calls I do still watch the videos almost daily. Kiitos paljon and keep up the great work!
Carlos, native English speaker
HERE'S AN UPDATE FROM MICHAEL AFTER 1 YEAR INSIDE FINNISH ME:
He praised my vocabulary. He was amazed at the ease with which I spoke. Mind you, I have a loooooong way to go. In reality, I am very stilted and slow. But, as a person going online to speak...and this guy has experience as an online tutor...he couldn't believe what i could do.
Michael, native English speaker
As soon as you join, you will receive a welcome email to access Finnish Me: Understand.
Then, everything is yours & you can get started right away!
You can register for the next monthly group call, where you will meet me and your fellow Finnish Me students.
(THEY WROTE TO ME IN FINNISH, BUT FEEL FREE TO POP THEM INTO GOOGLE TRANSLATE!)
”Finnish Me:n avulla olen oppinut paljon suomen kultuureista, jotka auttaa mua ymmärtämään suomalaisia ja Suomen arkia. Olen kohdannut semmosta tilannetta, että tää on just puhuttu Finnish Me:ssa!! Sinun jokainen kappale Finnish Me:ssa liittyy Suomen kulttuurin referensseihin, yleensä ulkomaaliselta puutuu ja minusta tuntui sinun materiaali on iso apu.
Tänä vuonna mä olen suorittanut 2 asiaa, jotka mä en ollut edes ajatellut, että ne oli mahdollista viime vuonna. Yksi asia on se että, mä pystyn juttelemaan naapureiten kanssa kun ne kutsuu minut iltakahviin. Toinen asia on se, että olin kutsuttu työhaastatteluun ja sain kesätyöpaikan. Uskomatonta!”
”Kun aloin opiskella suomea, ostin kielioppikirjan. Halusin oppia joka päivä, kuten opimme vieraita kieliä koulussa. Opettelin yksin (huvin vuoks) ja pian se tuli hyvin tylsäksi. En löytänyt enää iloa suomen opiskelusta edes muiden oppikirjojen avulla. Eräänä päivänä löysin sun kanavan ja..... YEAH mitä voin sanoa? Tää on parasta, mitä mulle on voinut tapahtua! Ymmärrän nyt paljon sun videoistasi. Yritän katsoa joka päivä yks videon Youtubissa tai kuunnella kokonaisen jakson kurssistasi. Kiitos kaikesta työstäsi!”
"The biggest struggle with Finnish by Duolingo were all the endings. Lla/ssa/n were just impossible to memorize. But now with Finnish Me it "just happens" that I think with more or less correct endings. The most interesting thing is, that I haven't just forgotten Finnish (or that little part which I've already learnt), even though I had quite a gap in learning. That's something what is very distinct for the natural method."
“Before entering the “Finnish Me adventure”, my level was practically zero. And it was not for lack of having devoted years to inventing all kinds of learning strategies. With the informative and fun content of the Finnish Me course, I moved from the realm of learning to the realm of acquisition. It's difficult to explain, it's a kind of global understanding, a form of intuition, anticipation of language structure, vocabulary words that "pop" into my head without me knowing why.”
“I've already noticed that I can proceed faster: if the first chapter took 2 months, the third one just one month. I believe that in the next lessons I'll cope at least with the same or hopefully even more speed. And it's fun to discuss some findings with my Finnish colleagues and get their opinions. I'm also proud that I managed to explain to the cashier in a swimming pool what kind of tickets I wanted to buy and we had a small discussion with questions and answers.”
“An inspiring experience and a new method for me. Listen first, then speak. Two weeks ago I read and listened to my favourite chapter (sauna) and repeated it a few times. Today I only spoke Finnish with my friend (40 min) and only a little English. It's great that this course exists. It also helps to get used to the same Finnish voice. Now I believe that I can talk about myself and I understand more and I can say what is important to me at the moment.”
"Since the beginning of 2023 I finally gathered the willpower to practise Finnish Me really at least 30 minutes per day and I really see a big progress in understanding! All of the sudden I can understand most of a casual Finnish written chat. Feels amazing 😊"
“A few months ago I suddenly realized that I can do much more than I thought. I watched simplified news (Selkouutiset) again and I understood everything! Then I tried to listen to standard news and could easily follow the whole topic! Now I can read not only Facebook posts, but also online newspapers without a translator. And that's so much fun! During a 3-day trip to Helsinki, I understood the pilot's announcements, and then I dared to start talking Finnish. It wasn't big conversations, but I always shopped in Finnish and I could understand and answer questions. I ordered food in Finnish and asked where the toilet was. All in Finnish!”
"I have studied especially the lesson on how to study and more or less applied that to any video I listened to. That lesson alone is worth the price. I use any source I can get my hands on and use your method of studying which is convincingly strong. Thank you for the course!"
"I started with Finnish Me in April 2024 after about 7 years of lessons. My comprehension of spoken Finnish was near zero. I had accepted the fact that I would never really make any progress in Finnish.
Now, after 5 months with Finnish Me, I feel like I have hope. Things are starting to click and I can already understand ten times more than I could five months ago – 90-100% of Lotta's videos without subtitles!"
"Before Finnish Me I was studying with your YouTube videos with my own ways and I was helped significantly. I started to form my first simple phrases when interacting. Even my Finnish friends were impressed. Now, that I am studying with Finnish Me and with the structure of the study that you propose, I noticed that I can now understand and remember the words without pushing myself to remember and without losing the train of my thought. Currently, I am in the beginning, working with a slower speed and many times of repetition but it works fine and I enjoy it."
"I signed up for Finnish Me because I have taken several years of Finnish language classes and still have very little ability to understand or speak Finnish! I finally realized something must be really off so I read research on language acquisition and learned about the comprehensible input method. I started reading a bunch of children's books which actually helped but after a short time I wished I was reading something for adults that also had audio. Which is exactly what I found in Finnish Me! It also teaches things about Finnish culture I didn't know despite living here for 6 years and I also really like the progress tracker so I can feel a sense of progress as I go through the lessons. Thank you for your precious work!"
"I was an absolute beginners when I started. Now nearly after a year I understand basis information when I read, listen or watch something. Basic words, expressions, etc. I am able to order in plain language food and drinks, pay at a cashier and interact, ask a simple questions, explain in simple words I have an appointment, how to introduce myself. I also understand the weather forecast on tv and struggled through season one of Taivaan Tulet on Yle Areena ;-) At Christmas I was able to understand a little what the family was talking about. I could also answer during the small talk like hyvä, se on hauska, etc.”
"When I started Finnish Me, I had studied Finnish for about four years. It seemed like my vocabulary was okay, and I knew quite a lot of grammar, but reading and understanding my Finnish friends was almost impossible for me. This summer, my Finnish teacher was on summer vacation, so I didn't have lessons with them. But every day (well, almost every day!) I watched and listened to Lotta's videos. When my teacher came back from vacation, I understood them much better than before. Our conversation was much easier! And every week, it feels like I've made progress, and everything is a little easier. I enjoy Finnish Me very much!"
"The Finnish Me course is online and more importantly, on demand. I can study when I have time, regardless of location. The course material is interesting and spoken Finnish is used. Since starting to study with Finnish Me I can follow a lot more of the conversations around me, if I am in a group I can participate in basic conversations now, with a choice word here or there."
"I would say that using Finnish Me has really helped me in founding my flow with the suomen kieli and helping me with building my confidence in being able to speak it little by little. I'm now in my second module with my Finnish studies and having access to Finnish Me really helps me in keeping me motivated in moving forwards with my studies! So if you really want to invest your time in studying something decent with regards to the Finnish language then Finnish Me with Lotta is a must have!"
“I was a complete beginner when I started. I'd never worked with the natural method and I was amazed how well it worked. I remember a few instances where I was very surprised (and a little bit proud) of what I knew. After a few months I studied one particular story for a week by watching it slowly multiple times, and not even a crazy amount of times. A week or so later I printed the story and highlighted everything I knew and I was amazed by how much I had retained from studying one week. In school, I probably have learned hundreds of lists of vocabulary for multiple languages and I only remember the basics."
"I joined Finnish Me because I want my Finnish knowledge to be more functional. Nobody has time to wait for me to figure out the proper grammatical forms. I liked your YouTube videos which helped me in learning new words better than sitting down with my course book. So I am ready to try out your course now. 😊"
"I'm really glad that I found your channel last year and enrolled in Finnish Me. Now I have listened to 3 main lessons and it starts to feel that I do understand part of the Finnish content directly without relating to the English meaning. It's such a new and exciting learning experience!"
"I bought your course only a month ago, and been enjoying it a lot. I have been waiting for something like this for many years, after several different attempts to learn Finnish. So, thank you for your effort to put it together!"
"I enjoy your approach, your videos are very entertaining. Thanks Lotta, the work you put into this Finnish Me Class is amazing. I would recommend the class to everyone, even if they need grammar to be happy :)"
"I understand more spoken Finnish now than when I started with Finnish Me. When I started, I needed to play the videos at 0.75 AND I could only work with 1-minute snippets at a time. When I started lesson 2, I was able to start listening at full speed and work with 5-minute snippets."
As long as you wish! Finnish Me: Understand includes material for 9-12 months, depending on your starting level, native language and how much time you choose to study per day and week.
The goal is not to "finish all the material", but to use the method and material UNTIL you understand fluently and are ready to speak. On average this takes between 9-12 months.
As mentioned above, it depends on many factors. As a general rule, for a person who studies 20-30 minutes every day with this method & material, it takes between 6 months and 1 year to have a good level of understanding. After that, you can start to speak slowly but surely. And if you can’t do it every day, that’s fine too of course.
Finnish Me: Understand used only by itself is designed to get you to B2 in the listening and B1 in the reading categories. If at the same time (or actually once you understand relatively well; I recommend understanding first, producing second) you engage in producing Finnish, you can pretty fast get to those level also in the speaking and writing categories. And the best thing is that once you have a good level of understanding and get over the ‘wall’ of speaking, you will directly start from a higher level such as B1.
Yes! The same learning method applies to complete beginners and people with basic knowledge of Finnish, so even if you don’t know a word in Finnish, you can use it. The tutorial specifically explains where to start and how to study if you're a complete beginner. You'll start with shorter videos that have a visual aid to support you at the start!
Having some starting knowledge will enable you to progress a bit faster. And if you know the Finnish grammar pretty much by heart but still can't understand Finns, this course will help you!
Finnish Me: Understand is a video & audio course that uses a natural method based on comprehensible input, developed by language professor Stephen Krashen. I will explain exactly how to use the material step by step inside the course.
The Finnish Me: Understand material consists of recorded videos, not live classes, so you will not have to schedule in live lessons to study Finnish - you can study whenever and wherever best suits you!
Our monthly Zoom calls normally take place in the weekdays at 9 pm Finnish time.
Yes! While the bulk of the course focuses on active listening, you also have several options for interactive learning:
Pronunciation exercises: Get your tongue to work on Finnish pronunciation.
Monthly group calls: Participate in discussions with other students and practise speaking when you're ready.
Email support: Send me an email whenever you have a question, need some cheering up or just want to test writing in Finnish!
No, Finnish Me: Understand is a self-paced course. Once you purchase, you will get all the content of Finnish Me to your use.
Finnish Me: Understand is a full course designed to get you understanding everyday Finnish in the least time possible. It combines self-paced material and monthly group calls, so you can always study when best suits you, and get a group learning experience, motivation and real-life help during the calls.
Finnish Me: Understand also includes material that I will never publish on YouTube:
a progressive video path to make you learn faster, instead of wasting time guessing where to start and how to study,
longer videos filled with common expressions that Finns use in everyday life,
audios that you can download for listening on the go,
stories that help you absorb the structure of Finnish without studying grammar,
pronunciation exercises that will help you pronounce like a native,
double subtitles as a pdf so you can study by reading without losing time for dictionary digging.
By joining Finnish Me: Understand, you will get email support from me whenever you have questions about the course and how to proceed with it – so you don’t have to feel alone with your Finnish studies anymore.
On top of that, you will learn how to learn any language with the natural method, which you could apply to another one in the future!
While I cannot share individual lessons from the course, you can take a look at my YouTube videos to get an idea - the course videos are similar but are much longer (15 minutes per video), include a broader range of vocabulary & expressions and are organised in the order of difficulty.
In Finnish Me: Understand, you will also learn step by step how to study the videos for maximum progress.
Finnish Me: Understand is also suitable for people who have a hearing loss and require clear audio and reading from lips. The videos do not have background music, and the speaker is visible in all videos.
All videos also have subtitles and transcriptions for learning by reading.
The videos are filmed in the same setting as the Finnished YouTube videos, so you can first check if you can understand those!
Send me an email at hello@learnfinnished.com.