The importance of [r] in Finnish

Rolling the Finnish [r] is tricky for many language learners, and also for Finnish kids. Many kids end up visiting a speech therapist if they don't learn the [r] by themselves before they are six years old. The [r] is often replaced by [l] which might cause some confusion and giggling.

How many of these words do you know?

1. hiiri / hiili
2. karkki / kalkki
3. karju / kalju
4. marja / malja
5. murkku / mulkku
6. muuri / muuli
7. ori / oli
8. purkka / pulkka
9. rakastua / lakastua
10. rokki / lokki
11. suora / suola
12. varas / valas

Here are the translations:

1. hiiri / hiili - a mouse / charcoal
2. karkki / kalkki - a candy / calcium, lime
3. karju / kalju - a boar, a hog / bald
4. marja / malja - a berry / a bowl
5. murkku / mulkku - an ant (spoken language for muurahainen) / a dick
6. muuri / muuli - a stonewall / a mule
7. ori / oli - a stallion / (he) was
8. purkka / pulkka - a chewing gum / a sled
9. rakastua / lakastua - to fall in love / to wither, to fade
10. rokki / lokki - rock music / a seagull
11. suora / suola - straight / salt
12. varas / valas - a thief / a whale

Harjoituksia: https://www.pieksamaki.fi/wp-content/uploads/r-aanteen_harjoitteluohjeet.pdf

Kiitos, kun luit! Jos pidit postauksesta, voit jakaa sen eteenpäin.

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– Hanna

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