Monday, October 30, 2017

Monday, October 23, 2017

Mitä uutta? What's new?

Here's a post about my books and courses that are available right now. The newest thing is that I will have a Google Hangouts session on Monday 30.10. at 12.00 Finnish time. It is called Suomea lounaalla, and the idea is to spend your lunch break, or a part of it, by speaking and listening to Finnish. If you want, you can just listen and ask questions through the chat. Tervetuloa ryhmään!

Novels that I've simplified into easy Finnish:


You can borrow my books from the library. If you want to buy them, www.booky.fi is definitely the cheapest online store. I'm currently working on simplifying two novels for adults, two for kids and a comic book.

Available courses:


I also have a podcast channel where my goal is to speak easy Finnish. I'm either interviewing people about their job or hobbies, or reading aloud easy Finnish novels. My dream is to have a real podcast with famous people speaking selkokieli, but I'm not quite there yet.:)

If you want to discuss easy Finnish books with other readers, you can join this Facebook book club hosted by my Facebook page. I also have an Instagram account.

Here's my website about the private lessons. It says that I cannot take any new students right now, but I actually can, if you are ok with studying on Mondays or Tuesdays between 9.00 and 15.00. Other times might me negotiable, too, and you can always suggest topics and schedules for group courses.

p.s. Muista käyttää heijastinta! Remember to wear a reflector!



Thursday, October 19, 2017

Figuring out the Finnish verb stems

When talking about verbs, we often talk about the basic form, and then there's the stem after which you add the different markers and endings. The Finnish verbs can have one or two stems.

Only one stem:


Verb types 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and verb type 1 verbs without the consonant change have only one stem. The stem is easiest to figure out by making the 1st person singular (minä) form, and dropping the n:

  • ASUA, to live: Minä asun. He asuvat. > The stem is ASU-.
  • SYÖDÄ, to eat: Minä syön. He syövät. > The stem is SYÖ-.
  • OPISKELLA, to study: Minä opiskelen. He opiskelevat. > The stem is OPISKELE-.
  • AJATELLA, to think: Minä ajattelen. He ajattelevat > The stem is AJATTELE-
  • PELATA, to play: Minä pelaan. He pelaavat. > The stem is PELAA-.
  • TYKÄTÄ, to like: Minä tykkään. Sinä tykkäät. > The stem is TYKKÄÄ-.
  • VALITA, to choose: Minä valitsen. He valitsevat. > The stem is VALITSE-.
  • VANHETA, to become older: Minä vanhenen. Sinä vanhenet. > The stem is VANHENE-.
  • LÄMMETÄ, to become warmer: Minä lämpenen. Sinä lämpenet. > The stem is LÄMPENE-

Two stems:


Verb type 1 verbs with consonant change have two stems. I have a separate post about those verbs here: https://randomfinnishlesson.blogspot.com/2022/03/consonant-change-in-verb-type-1-verbs.html

  • The weak stem is easiest to figure out by making the 1st person singular (minä) form, and dropping the n.
  • The strong stem is easiest to make from the third person plural (he) and dropping the vat or vat ending.

  • LUKEA, to read: Minä luen. He lukevat. > The weak stem is LUE-, and he strong stem is LUKE-.
  • NUKKUA, to sleep: Minä nukun. He nukkuvat. > The weak stem is NUKU-, and the strong stem is NUKKU-.

When to use the strong stem: 


(In case it's the verb type 1 verb. If not, just use the only stem that the verb has before adding the markers and endings. ) 

1. Third persons in verb type 1, if the verb has a consonant change:

  • Hän lukee. - He reads.
  • He lukevat. - They read

2. Conditional:

  • Lukisin enemmän, jos minulla olisi aikaa. - I would read more if I had time.


3. MA-infinitive:

  • Olin koko päivän rannalla lukemassa. - I spent the whole day reading on the beach
  • Menen kirjastoon lukemaan. - I'm going to the library to read. 
  • Mihin aikaan sinä tulet lukemasta? - At what time will you come from reading?
  • En voinut olla lukematta tätä. - I could not be without reading this. 
  • Opiskelen ruotsia lukemalla ruotsinkielisiä blogeja. - I'm studying Swedish through reading blogs in Swedish.

4. Agent participle:

  • Onko tämä sinun kirjoittama? - Is this written by you?


5. A noun made out of a verb:

  • Lukeminen on hauskaa! - Reading is fun!

When to use the weak stem:


1. Negative present tense

  • Minä en lue. - I don't read. 

2. Imperative:

  • Lue! - Read!


3. Verb type 1 passive:

  • Luetaan! - Let's read!

When to start from the basic form: 


1. Plural imperative

  • Lukekaa! - Read! (for many people)
  • Ajatelkaa! - Think! (for many people)
  • Pakatkaa! - Pack! (for many people)

2. Passive

  • Suomessa syödään ruisleipää. - In Finland, people eat rye bread.
  • Opiskellaan. - Let's study.
  • Pakataan. - Let's pack. 
  • Mitä me tarvitaan? - What do we need? (spoken language)

3. Past participle active:

  • Minä en lukenut tätä eilen. - I didn't read this yesterday. 
  • Mitä sinä olet tehnyt? - What have you done?
  • Tulin tänne oppiakseni Suomea. - I came here to learn Finnish. 
  • Istuin junassa kirjaa lukien. - I sat on the train reading a book. 


About the author of Random Finnish Lesson: 


My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please read more in www.linktr.ee/hannamannikkolahti and follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new. 

Saturday, October 14, 2017

What to watch in Yle Areena

It's been a while since I recommended tv shows to watch in Finnish.

Here are three Yle Areena shows that are also available abroad:


If you are watching Yle Areena in Finland, you have to check out Sohvaperunat. Finnish people watching tv together with their friends and family. What could be better entertainment? :)

Sohvaperunat. Sohva = a sofa / a couch, Peruna = a potato

p.s. You can also order my blog to your email. Type your email to where it says "Read my posts in your email"  in the right hand banner.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Choosing the perfect easy Finnish book

Would you like to read a book in easy Finnish, but you don't know which book would be good for you right now? Here's a handy flowchart that I just created:



You can take a look at the sample pages in Selkokeskus website. Booky.fi is another good online bookstore, and they also ship abroad.

Related posts:



Selkokirjoja. Books in easy Finnish.