Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Eve Hietamies' Yösyöttö series in easy Finnish

I made a little Youtube video and thought that I'd share it here, too: 




The so-called Yösyöttö series is great for anybody with kids, family, or friends. 
You can borrow the books from the library or order directly from me at bit.ly/tilaaselkokirjoja. 

You can check out all my easy Finnish books at https://www.privatefinnishlessons.com/selkokirjat. I also have a domain www.hannamannikkolahti.com that should lead to my page, but for some reason, it doesn't always work. (Fixing that is on my to-do list!)

Exciting news: I've almost figured out how to send a newsletter. I'm really sorry for the 50 + subscribers, who haven't yet heard anything from me yet. :)

P.S. Come to Jyväskylä in January! Read more about the intensive course here: https://kesayo.jyu.fi/en/intensive-finnish-courses/winter-courses


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. Follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new.  If you want to subscribe to my newsletter, you can do it here


Monday, September 23, 2024

How to be unimpressed in Finnish

Don't get me wrong – I have a very positive mindset and appreciate even the smallest things in everyday life. However, sometimes I catch myself thinking a bit negatively about things that others are really excited about. 


Here's what I sometimes think:  


  • No ei se nyt niin ihmeellinen ollut. - Well, it wasn’t that special. (For excample a single movie or a play) 
  • No ei se nyt niin ihmeellistä ollut. - Well, it wasn’t that extraordinary. (Use partitive when talking about the atmosphere or an experience. This has to do with describing things in Finnish.)


Here are some more positive thoughts: 


  • Olisi se voinut olla huonompikin. - It could have been worse.
  • Ei siitä haittaakaan ollut. - It didn’t do any harm.
  • Olisin mä voinut tämän ajan huonomminkin käyttää.  - I could have spent this time in a worse way.
  • Ainakin mä opin englantia / ranskaa / ruotsia. - At least I learned some English / French / Swedish.



Lue lisää - Read more:


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. Follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new.  If you want to subscribe to my newsletter, you can do it here

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Improve your Finnish pronunciation

My friends and collagues Mari Nikonen and Päivi Virkkunen will organize a pronunciation course starting on September 30. I asked Mari to write a short introduction about their course, "Tuutsä mukaan?"



Read more on the course page.


"Moikka! My name is Mari Nikonen and I’m excited to be a guest writer on Random Finnish Lesson!

Like Hanna, I’m a Finnish teacher, and some of you might already know me from my blog or my social media as Ask a Finnish Teacher.

In my years of teaching Finnish to adult learners, I’ve often noticed that there are two important things that are often a bit neglected or even missing altogether in Finnish courses: pronunciation and spoken language. These are both vital for both speaking fluently and easily understanding what you hear.  

I’m excited to announce a new course on Finnish pronunciation and spoken Finnish, which I’m organizing together with Päivi Virkkunen, a pronunciation expert from Ääntämisklinikka. If you've ever found yourself hesitating before speaking Finnish or wishing you could sound more natural in conversation, this might be just the course for you.

This course is all about building confidence in speaking Finnish, and we’ll focus on everything you need to know about Finnish pronunciation, from the trickier sounds that don’t exist in many other languages (I’m looking at you, ö and y) to the rhythm and melody of real spoken Finnish. Also, we’re using real-world dialogues from our brand-new e-book, Tuutsä mukaan. Everything you learn in class will be immediately useful in your everyday life.

Who is this course for?

Whether you're a beginner who's got the basics down (A1) or an advanced learner looking to fine-tune your pronunciation, this course will be helpful. All the classes will be taught in English, so learners at all levels will always have the support you need to fully understand the material. The goal is to help you speak Finnish more fluently and confidently, regardless of where you are on your language journey.

What can you expect?

We’ll meet every Monday from 12:00 to 13:00 (Finnish time), starting on 30 September 2024. Over the course of 10 ive Zoom sessions, you’ll learn the key aspects of Finnish pronunciation but also get practice in using them right away with the dialogues, recordings and pronunciation exercises from Tuutsä mukaan.

The best part?

The e-book is included in the course price, so you’ll have everything you need to keep learning and practicing, even after the course ends. You'll have access to all the course materials for at least three months after our last session, so there's no rush—take your time to review and practice at your own pace.

Meet the teachers


Päivi Virkkunen is a phonetician, and an expert in teaching Finnish pronunciation. I, Mari Nikonen, am a Finnish teacher specialized in speaking, spoken language and listening comprehension. Together, we will guide you through each step of the learning process, helping you improve your Finnish in a supportive and encouraging environment.

The details

  • Price: 127 € (including VAT)

  • Language of instruction: English and Finnish

  • Level: CEFR levels A1-C1

  • Schedule: 10 live Zoom sessions, Mondays 12:00-13:00, starting 30 September 2024, ending 2 December 2024

  • Bonus: Access to course materials for 3 months after the course ends

If you’ve been looking for a way to boost your confidence in speaking Finnish and improve your pronunciation, I would love for you to join us! You can find more information and sign up on the course page."


Kiitos kirjoituksesta, Mari ja Päivi!

 

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. Follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new.  If you want to subscribe to my newsletter, you can do it here

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

How to follow Random Finnish Lesson

I have been listening to a lot of edupreneur podcasts this summer, and it seems like everybody has an email list. I decided to give it a try too, so here we go. Feel free to subscribe to my newsletter!



I promise that I won't flood your inbox. I’ll likely send just one email a month and write about my online bookstore and the online courses based on my books in easy Finnish. Of course, I'll also remind you about the classic grammar and vocabulary topics that Finnish learners tend to forget! Deep down, I just want my followers to find good books and enjoy reading in Finnish.


Other ways to follow me


  • If you're reading this in your email, it’s because you’re following this blog on Follow.it. While I’m not thrilled with the platform due to the ads and the fact that you can’t click links directly from your email, it’s manageable for now.

Have a nice week and enjoy the rest of the summer! 



Auringonlasku Ähtärissä. A sunset in Ähtäri. 

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. Follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new. 

Friday, August 23, 2024

Experience a Sibelius concert in Jyväskylä with me

How about a day in Jyväskylä, followed by a classical music concert in the evening? 

I have two tickets to Sibelius' Kullervo on Thursday October 24th, and it would be wonderful to share the experience with someone.

I'm also planning to start organizing hands-on Finnish courses with various activities instead of just sitting in a class room, so I need to practice with real people. :) 


You are welcome to hang out with me during the day, unless I'm teaching.  If you are interested, you can join my gym class at 9.30 in the morning, and we can grab lunch afterward and walk around Jyväskylä a bit. Or, if you prefer, you can simply meet me at the venue at 5:30 P:M and enjoy  the concert without saying a word. 

If you're coming from another city, I can help you find a nice hotel and other interesting things to do. 

I only have two tickets, so the first person to contact me will get the other one. The concert ticket costs 36 €. If more people are  interested, I can book additional tickets, but they won't be next to the original two.

Send me an email at hanna.mannikkolahti@gmail.com, if you are interested! 



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.