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.