Asking for help with Finnish language

Do you sometimes feel it's hard to develop your skills when nobody corrects your Finnish? Or have you ever figured out that you've been systematically mixing tai and vai or saying normaalisesti instead of normaalisti for years while your friends and family have just been amazed by the fact that you can function in this language? Why don't the Finns help you out and correct at least the most obvious cases?

My guesses are that they are shy, afraid to hurt your feelings or just simply don't know where to start. They might also fear some horrible questions about the consonant change, object or the names of the endings, and choose to be quiet for their own sake.

Here are some simple questions you can ask after whatever you said and get the most out of talking with the Finns.

• Voiko niin sanoa? - Can you say so?
• Onko se oikein sanottu? - Is it correctly said?
• Onko se kohteliaasti sanottu? - Is it polite?
• Lausutaanko se noin? - Is it pronounced like that?
• Kuinka se kirjoitetaan? - How do you spell it?
• Onko se oikea sana? - Is it a real word?

You could also try these suggestions:

• Voitko korjata, jos mä sanon jotain väärin? - Can you correct me, if I say something wrong?
• Älä korjaa kaikkea. - Don't correct everything. 
• Älä keskeytä, mutta kerro lopuksi. - Don't interrupt, but tell me at the end.

..or throw in the ultimate question miksi:

• Miksi se on kiviä eikä kivejä? - Why is it kiviä and not kivejä?

Lue lisää

• How to make Finns speak Finnish, not English.
• How to talk about help and helping in Finnish
  

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.