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. :) 

• This is the concert: https://www.jyvaskylasinfonia.fi/konsertit/kullervo. It starts at 6 P.M in Paviljonki, which is very close to the train station. 

• Here's a Wikipedia article about the symphony: https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kullervo_(Sibelius)

• You can listen to the symphony on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/121Is6siCM1eUAHMzVkVt5?si=GcpNupKOSu2QNeRdAFLL5w 

'Kullervon kirous' by Akseli Gallen-Kallela

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. 

How to reschedule in Finnish

Do you sometimes have to cancel or reshedule a meeting? Here are a couple of phrases that you can use: 

Expressing that you are sorry 

• Valitettavasti minun täytyy perua tapaamisemme. - Unfortunately, I have to cancel our meeting.
• Olen pahoillani, mutta minun täytyy siirtää tapaamistamme. - I'm sorry, but I have to reschedule our meeting.
• Pahoittelen, mutta en pääsekään tänään tapaamiseemme. - I apologize, but I can't make it to our meeting today.

In spoken finnish, the forms would be 'meidän tapaaminen', 'meidän tapaamista' and 'meidän tapaamiseen'.

Rescheduling

• Voidaanko tavata samaan aikaan ensi viikolla? - Can we meet at the same time next week?
• Onko sinulla vapaita aikoja myöhemmin tällä viikolla? - Do you have any available times later this week?
• Mihin aikaan sinulle sopisi ensi viikolla? - What time would be suitable for you next week?
• Sopiiko sinulle torstaina 14.9. klo 14.00? - Does Thursday, September 14th, at 2:00 PM work for you?

Depending on the situation and the person to whom you are writing, you might have to explain why. If you are my student, you don't have to. :)

Lue lisää:

• A post about kokous, tapaaminen and similar words
• How to change and move in Finnish
• Talking abot work in Finnish
• An article about the verbs 'perua' and 'peruuttaa' (suomeksi)

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. 

Commenting on social media posts in Finnish

Here's something simple and nice that you can write when commenting on other people's social media pictures and posts. Translations after the picture. 

1. Ihana kuva!
2. Hieno video!
3. Näyttää hauskalta!
4. Olisinpa ollut tuolla!
5. Hauskaa ja turvallista matkaa!
6. Terveisiä tutuille!
7. Kuulostaa hyvältä. 
8. Hieno suunnitelma!
9. Kiitos vinkistä! Pitääpä tutustua. 
10. Kiitos seurasta! Toivottavasti nähdään taas pian!

Käännökset - Translations: 

1. Ihana kuva! - Lovely picture!
2. Hieno video! - Nice / Fancy / Great video!
3. Näyttää hauskalta! - Looks fun!
4. Olisinpa ollut tuolla! - I wish I had been there!
5. Hauskaa ja turvallista matkaa! - Have a fun and safe trip!
6. Terveisiä tutuille! - Say hi to the people that I know!
7. Kuulostaa hyvältä. - Sounds good. 
8. Hieno suunnitelma! - Great plan!
9. Kiitos vinkistä! Pitääpä tutustua.  - Thanks for the tip. I'll have to take a look at that. 
10. Kiitos seurasta! Toivottavasti nähdään taas pian. - Thanks for the company! I hope to see you soon again.

Lue lisää - Read more: 

• IT and social media vocabulary in Finnish
• Being nice in Finnish 
• How to congratualte in Finnish'
• How to say you're sorry
• How to say 'thank you' in Finnish

If you want to say something more complicated that doesn't make much sense, check out this hilarious Jargonaattori.

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.  

How to be negative in Finnish

I have quite a few posts that help you speak Finnish in challenging situations. Let me know if I'm missing something important. :)

Challenging situations

• When something is broken in Finnish
• How to be clogged, blocked and stuck in Finnish
• How to be exhausted and burdened in Finnish
• How to say that you don't really like someone
• Being early and late in Finnish
• Pharmacy shopping in Finnish
• How to swear in Finnish
  

Negative grammar topics

• How to say the negative past tense in Finnish
• Negative ko/kö questions
• Finnish words beginning with 'epä'
• How to say 'without' in Finnish
• Expressions to use when things are not quite right
• Nobody in Finnish
• Nothing in Finnish

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it. 
Kiitos, kun luit! Jos pidit postauksesta, voit jakaa sen eteenpäin.
– Hanna

When to use someone's first name when you are talking to them (Lessons in Finnish conversation culture)

The answer to this question is quite clear: 

Only when there's more than two people in the situation and you want to get the person's attention. 

If you say (or write) a person's name too much, you sound like a telemarketer, an overenthusiastic LinkedIn user, or it sounds like the other person has done something wrong.

I know that in some cultures, it is more common to use each other's first names and show that you know who they are, but you don't have to do that in Finland. 

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

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it. 
– Hanna

Tilaa uutiskirjeeni - Subscribe to my newsletter 

www.privatefinnishlessons.com 

Kysymyksiä koulussa - Questions at school

Here's a list of questions that you hear in Finnish schools:

1. Mihin minä laitan tämän?
2. Mihin tämä kuuluu?
3. Mihin tätä käytetään?
4. Onko tämä oikein?
5. Onko tämä nyt valmis?
6. Voitko sanoa uudestaan?
7. Voitko näyttää uudestaan?
8. Voitko sä tulla tänne?
9. Pitääkö tämä tehdä uudestaan?
10. Teinkö minä sen oikein?
11. Näyttääkö tämä hyvältä?
12. Saanko minä lainata tätä kynää?
13. Mitä tämä sana tarkoittaa?
14. Mitä sitten, kun on valmis?
15. Koska meillä on tauko? 

1. Mihin minä laitan tämän? - Where shall I put this?
2. Mihin tämä kuuluu? - Where does this belong to?
3. Mihin tätä käytetään? - What is this used for?
4. Onko tämä oikein? - Is this correct?
5. Onko tämä nyt valmis? - Is this ready now?
6. Voitko sanoa uudestaan? - Can you say again?
7. Voitko näyttää uudestaan? - Can you show again?
8. Voitko sä tulla tänne? - Can yoy come here?
9. Pitääkö tämä tehdä uudestaan? - Do I have to do this again? (Check out my post about generic sentences.)
10. Teinkö minä sen oikein? - Did I do it right?
11. Näyttääkö tämä hyvältä? - Does this look good?
12. Saanko minä lainata tätä kynää? - Can I borrow this pencil?
13. Mitä tämä sana tarkoittaa? - What does this word mean?
14. Mitä sitten, kun on valmis? - What then, when I'm ready? (Check out my post about generic sentences.)
15. Koska meillä on tauko? - When do we have a break?

Lue lisää: 

• Question words
• Cleaning verbs in Finnish
• Kitchen verbs in Finnish
• Video: Hyödyllisiä lauseita koulussa

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About the author of this blog:

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. You can contact me through www.privatefinnishlessons.com. You can subscribe to this blog from the right-hand banner. 

My books in easy Finnish: www.hannamannikkolahti.com

YouTube - Soundcloud - Instagram

When do Finns say jees, jes and jess?

Yes is kyllä or joo. However, in colloquial Finnish, you can hear Finns saying jes, jess and jees. What's going on with that? 

This is how I would explain it, but I'm also expecting to get some comments. Please share your experiences! :)

Say jess when you are really happy.

•  Jess! Tämä ei maksa mitään! - Yess! This doesn't cost anything. 

Jes can be almost any reaction.

• Mä otan teetä. - Jes. - I'll take tea. - Jes. 
• (Maksan) - Jes. (I'm paying.) - Jes.

I've heard people saying jes in situations where I could also hear ole hyvä or kiitos. Sometimes people use it instead of selvä to point out that they have understood something. You can also say jes while inhaling.

Kind of surprisingly, jees is good or great.

• Se oli ihan jees elokuva. - The movie was quite good. (Read more about ihan.)
• Se on tosi jees. - It's a great thing.

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. 

How to make your company support your Finnish studies

Here are  phrases that you could use when talking with you employer:

• Voisinkohan mä opiskella suomea työajalla? - I was wondering if I could use some of my work hours for studying Finnish?
• Voisikohan firma maksaa (edes osan) mun suomen oppitunneista? - I was wondering if the company could pay (even a part of ) my Finnish lessons?
• Siitä olisi varmasti hyötyä koko firmalle. - I'm sure that it would be beneficial for the whole company. 
• Olen löytänyt opettajan, joka opettaa verkossa. - I've found a teacher who teaches online. 
• Voin aloittaa ja lopettaa milloin vain. - I can start and quit whenever I want.
• Voisinko kokeilla vaikka 10 kertaa? - Could I try for example 10 times?

Lue lisää:

• If you work in Finland, you could check out my Töissä Suomessa posts. 
• Private Finnish teachers 

About the author of this blog: 

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 your want to be the first one to know when I post something new. 

Different ways of saying 'Hei hei' in Finnish

Are you bored with Hei-hei and Moikka? Here are some nice sentences that you can use when leaving a conversation, but first, an ad:

Feel free to contact me, if you are interested in online private lessons for yourself or for a small group. You can read more about my private teaching in www.privatefinnishlessons.com. Kiitos!

1. Oli kiva jutella!
2. Oli kiva nähdä!
3. Kiitos seurasta!
4. Kiitos avusta!
5. Hauskaa iltaa!
6. Hyvää päivänjatkoa!
7. Terveisiä perheelle!
8. Nähdään perjantaina!
9. Huomiseen!
10. Soitellaan!
11. Viestitellään!
12. Ollaan yhteydessä!
13. Kiva kun kävit!
14. Palataan asiaan!
15. Soita, jos tarvitset jotain! 

1. Oli kiva jutella! - It was nice to talk! 
2. Oli kiva nähdä! - It was nice to see! 
3. Kiitos seurasta! - Thanks for the company!
4. Kiitos avusta! - Thanks for the help!
5. Hauskaa iltaa! - Have a fun evening!
6. Hyvää päivänjatkoa! - Have a nice (continuation of the) day!
7. Terveisiä perheelle! - Greetings to the family!
8. Nähdään perjantaina! - See you Friday! (In spoken language, Nähdään turns into Nähää.)
9. Huomiseen! - Until tomorrow!
10. Soitellaan! - Let's call each other!
11. Viestitellään! - Let's send each other text messages!
12. Ollaan yhteydessä! - Let's be in touch with each other!
13. Kiva kun kävit! - It was nice that you visited!
14. Palataan asiaan! -  Let's get back to the topic!
15. Soita, jos tarvitset jotain! - Call, if you need something!

Related posts:

• How to congratulate in Finnish
• Being nice in Finnish

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About the author of this blog:

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti, and I am a native Finn who gives private lessons via Skype and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please leave a comment, if you have something to ask about Finnish or novels in easy Finnish.

Lue lisää selkokirjoistani: www.hannamannikkolahti.com

Voit myös seurata YouTube-kanavaani ja Podcast-kanavaani.

Dating Finnish men

The last time I dated Finnish men was in 2003, and obviously that didn't go so well as I'm now married to an American. However, the phrase dating Finnish men seems to be a popular search keyword through which people find my blog, so I felt that I should write something about it. (Update: I forgot that I already have a post called Figuring out Finnish men.)

First of all, to become friends with Finnish men, you could check out my post How to make friends in Finnish.

Once you think that you might be dating a Finnish man, you want to be sure of the status of the relationship. You could try these questions and phrases to figure it out:

• Oletko sä muuten käynyt treffeillä muiden kanssa? - By the way, have you gone on dates with other people?

• Ollaanko me yhdessä vai vain kavereita? - Are we together or just friends?

• Haluaisitko sä tavata mun vanhemmat? - Would you like to meet my parents?

• Mä ajattelin vaihtaa Facebook-statukseksi "on parisuhteessa".  - I was thinking about changing my Facebook status into "is in a relationship".

If you are used to men opening doors, carrying the bags, helping you to put your jacket on, and paying all the bills, you might feel a bit confused with Finnish men who don't do that, because it's not so common in Finland. If you are annoyed with the situation, just say it aloud and hope that he will get the hint.

• Oletko huomannut, että Alex avaa aina oven Marialle? - Have you notices that Alex always opens the door for Maria?

• Olisi kiva, jos sinäkin tekisit niin. - It would be nice if you did so, too. 

• Vaikka et tee sitä Suomessa, voisitko kuitenkin kantaa mun laukkuja, kun me ollaan _________ssa? - Even if you don't carry my bags in Finland, could you do that when we are in ___? (Some of my students have funny stories about their mothers complaining about their Finnish husband's behaviour.)

I asked my Facebook page followers to share their experience, and this is what I got so far. Please leave a comment if you want to share your experiences. Vielä parempi, jos olet suomalainen mies! :)

• Do not expect fancy gifts, but more practical things, like thermal underwear.

• Don't wait for a Finnish guy to say he loves you, and don't dare say it to him, as he will not know how to respond.

• Expect honesty. Meaning that if he doesn't like your haircut or your new dress, he will tell you.

• Long stretches of silence are the norm. If you act like an American and try to fill every second with chatter, he will likely get annoyed.

Jääkarrhu = a polar bear (Only in a zoo in Finland.)

Useful posts:

• Practicing listening with your Finnish friends
• Practicing Finnish with your friends
• Dating Finns
• How to make Finns speak Finnish, not English

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About the author of this blog:

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti, and I am a native Finn who gives private lessons via Skype and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please leave a comment, if you have something to ask about Finnish or novels in easy Finnish.

Lue lisää selkokirjoistani: www.hannamannikkolahti.com

Voit myös seurata YouTube-kanavaani ja Podcast-kanavaani.

How to ask for a new parking garage ticket in Finnish

Here's a dialogue that I had yesterday after realizing that I had lost my parking garage ticket. Just in case you are ever in the same situation and you have to press the Asiakaspalvelu button on the machine, this is what I said:

Minä:
Hei, mä olen hukannut mun parkkilipukkeen. Mä parkkeerasin tänne puoli kymmeneltä, niin voinko mä saada uuden lipukkeen?

Asiakaspalvelija:
Oletko ihan varma, että se ei jäänyt autoon?

Minä:
Ei jäänyt. Mä muistan, että mä laitoin sen mun taskuun, mutta se on varmaan pudonnut maahan.

Asiakaspalvelija:
No haluaisitko sä käydä etsimässä sitä?

Minä:
No en, kun se voi olla ihan missä vaan. Kuinka paljon se uusi lipuke maksaa?

Asiakaspalvelija:
Se on koko päivän parkkimaksu eli viistoista euroa.

Minä:
Okei. Mä odotin jotain paljon enemmän.

Asiakaspalvelija:
Sä voit laittaa sun kortin sisään niin mä laitan sulle uuden lipukkeen tulemaan.

Minä:
Selvä. Kiitos. (Työnnän pankkikortin automaattiin.)

Asiakaspalvelija:
Noin. Mä annoin sulle vitosen alennusta.

Minä:
Ai. Kiitos. Moi moi.


To learn about parking halls in your city, just google pysäköintitalot and the name of the city.

Pysäköintilipuke = parkkilippu = parkkilappu 

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About the author of this blog:  

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti, and I am a native Finn who gives private lessons via Skype and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please leave a comment, if you have something to ask about Finnish or novels in easy Finnish.

Lue lisää kirjoista: https://privatefinnishlessons.com/books/

How to push in Finnish

I was completing this Memrise course about my easy Finnish novel, and I realized how many different verbs Finnish has for pushing. Do you know the difference between these ones?

1. painaa
2. ponnistaa
3. puskea
4. työntää
5. töniä
6. tönäistä

Here are some example sentences...

1. Paina tästä. 
2. Älä ponnista vielä! Ponnista nyt!
3. Puske sitä palloa!
4. Työnnä sitä ovea. 
5. Älä töni!
6. Tuo poika tönäisi minua. 

...and the translations are after this ad:

1. Paina tästä. - Push/press here. 
2. Älä ponnista vielä! Ponnista nyt! - Don't push yet! Push now! (At childbirth.) 
3. Puske sitä palloa! - Push that ball (with your forehead)!
4. Työnnä sitä ovea. - Push that door. 
5. Älä töni! - Don't push me! (töniä = to push another person multiple times)
6. Tuo poika tönäisi minua. - That boy pushed me. (tönäistä = to push once. It can be an accident or intentional teasing/bullying.)

Pull and push in Finnish and in Swedish.

Being wrong in Finnish

Wrong in Finnish can be either väärä, väärin or väärässä.

• Tämä on väärä koko. - This is a wrong size. 
• Mä olin merkinnyt kalenteriin väärän päivän. - I had marked the wrong day in my calendar / journal. 
• Tämä on väärin! - This is wrong!
• Anteeksi, mä kuulin väärin. - I'm sorry, I misheard you. 
• Hän on väärässä. - He is wrong. 
• Anteeksi, mutta sä taidat olla väärässä junassa. - I'm sorry, but you seem to be in a wrong train. 

Similar posts: 

• When things are not quite right in Finnish
• Fighting in Finnish
• Adverbs of manner
• Anteeksi

"Read a book in easy Finnish. It will help you learn more Finnish."

Salla Simukka's novel Punainen kuin veri in easy Finnish

I have a new job! I'm officially a selkomukauttaja now.

Selkomukauttaja is a person who rewrites books in simpler language, so I'd call myself a simplifier in English. I also continue to be a private teacher and an Yki exam evaluator, so my life won't really change that much except that I get to participate in book fairs and other events, and talk to some new people.

Salla Simukka, the author of the original novel, is one of the most translated Finnish author of all times, and her young adult trilogy about Lumikki Andersson has been really popular in many countries. (Lumikki means Snow White.) I chose this trilogy to be simplified, (and luckily got the permission!) because it is suitable for both teenagers and adults, and I thought it might be fun for the readers to follow the same character in three stories. Also, they are planning a movie based on the trilogy.

Punainen kuin veri is the first novel of the trilogy. The heroine, Lumikki Andersson, is a 17-year-old high school student in Tampere. She and her classmates end up solving a mystery of a plastic bag full of bloody 500 euro bills. You can get into the mood of the book through these book trailers, even in multiple languages.

One place to to buy the book is www.booky.fi.

The original novel has approximately 250 pages, but the novel in easy Finnish has only 120, and the lines are much shorter than in a regular book. The sentences are short, and the complex grammar structures are made much easier.

The best way to buy Punainen kuin veri is from www.booky.fi.  You might also find the book in a good bookstore, or ask the bookstore to order it for you. You can definitely borrow or reserve Punainen kuin veri from any Finnish library. 

Related links and posts:

• A free online course about Punainen kuin veri (Each section of four or five chapters has a short synopsis, a printable worksheet and ten multiple choice questions.)
• Punainen kuin veri vocabulary in Memrise
• Selkokirjalukupiiri - An easy Finnish book club
• Other novels in easy Finnish
• Booking a library book online in Finnish
• Online book shopping in Finnish
• My blog posts about easy Finnish
• Me talking about the book in a podcast
• All my simple Finnish books and extra material

I hope that you'll like the novel! It is also a great gift for someone who is studying Finnish and has reached at least an A2 or B1 level in their studies.

Romaanin henkilöt - Characters of the novel

A map of Tampere to make the reading experience more fun!

A sample from pages 8 and 9.

A sample from pages 56 and 57.

Interviews:

• An Aviisi interview of Salla Simukka
• Salla Simukka's thoughts about young adult literature
• An article about a Thai translator of Punainen kuin veri
• An article about Salla Simukka in Image

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About the author of this blog:  

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti, and I am a native Finn who gives private lessons via Skype and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please leave a comment, if you have something to ask about Finnish. 

Finnish idioms

Here are some common idioms that I actually use. Do you know what they mean and when to use them?

1. Mulla on tässä asiassa oma lehmä ojassa.
2. Mä opin sen kantapään kautta.
3. Se elää kädestä suuhun.
4. Sun täytyy vain ottaa itseäsi niskasta kiinni.
5. Tämä oli kyllä rimanalitus!
6. Olipa onni onnettomuudessa, että juna oli myöhässä.
7. Pysytkö sä kärryillä?
8. Mä en ole nyt kartalla.
9. Se ei ole pannut tikkua ristiin!
10. Kuinka sä voit katsoa tätä läpi sormien?
11. Toivottavasti se ei vedä hernettä nenään.
12. Tämä tuli ihan puskista!
13. Mua huijattiin kuusi nolla. 
14. Mikko teki minulle karhunpalveluksen. 

Edited in 2025:
This is the first picture that I've ever asked from ChatGPT!
Oma lehmä ojassa = Own cow in the ditch

Translations and explanations: 

1. Mulla on tässä asiassa oma lehmä ojassa. - I have my own cow in the ditch in this matter. It's in my own interest. (If my own cow is in the ditch, I'm more likely to get out of there than if it was just my neighbour's cow!)
2. Mä opin sen kantapään kautta. - I learned it through the heel. I learned it the hard way.
3. Se elää kädestä suuhun. - He lives from hand to mouth. He lives with just enough money to cover immediate needs.
4. Sun täytyy vain ottaa itseäsi niskasta kiinni. - You just have to grab yourself from the neck. You just have to pull yourself together.
5. Tämä oli kyllä rimanalitus! - This was definitely a below the bar performance! This was a poor performance.
6. Olipa onni onnettomuudessa, että juna oli myöhässä. - What a luck in the accident / misfortune it was that the train was late. At first, it seemed bad that the train was late, but it turned out to be good.
7. Pysytkö sä kärryillä? - Can you stay on / not fall down from the wagon? Do you understand and keep up with what’s being explained?
8. Mä en ole nyt kartalla. - I'm not on the map right now. I don’t understand what’s happening.
9. Se ei ole pannut tikkua ristiin! - He has not put a stick into a formation of an x / a cross. He hasn’t done anything.
10. Kuinka sä voit katsoa tätä läpi sormien? - How can you look at this through your fingers? How can you ignore this problem?
11. Toivottavasti se ei vedä hernettä nenään. - I hope that he won't inhale a pea into his nose. I hope he doesn’t get upset. (Having a pea in your nose is not pleasant!)
12. Tämä tuli ihan puskista! - This came absolutely from the bushes! This happened unexpectedly.
13. Mua huijattiin kuusi nolla. - I was fooled six to zero. I was totally fooled.
14. Mikko teki minulle karhunpalveluksen. - Mikko did me a bear's favour. Mikko tried to help but actually made things worse. (From this fable!)

P.S. When is the last time you read a book in easy Finnish? If you neew some help with reading, join my online course about 'Juurihoito'! You can start the course any time you want to.

Related posts: 

• Pokka
• 20 Finnish proverbs

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

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it. 
– Hanna

Practicing listening with your Finnish friends

Are you still in the situation where your friends switch to English when you're around? Change that now!  I'm using friend in my examples, but it could also be your colleague, spouse, mother-in-law or even a child, if you happen to have bilingual children.

• Ask your friend to talk about something simple in Finnish so that you can just relax and focus on listening. You don't have to ask anything, and she won't ask anything either. You can decide a time beforehand so that you'll both know when it's over and you can do something else. If you want, write down what you hear. You can also record your friend if it's ok for her. 

• Ask your friend which Finnish podcast, radio program, tv show or artist she likes. Listen to it together and ask her to talk about it. 

• Ask your friend to read aloud something that you're studying right now. It can be your textbook, Selkosanomat, a novel in easy Finnish. Your friend might become excited about your Finnish studies and start reading cool magazines like Kielikello.

• Ask your friend to read her own book aloud for you. You might not understand much, but you'll understand something, and your friend is happy because she gets to read her book. She might also be interested in talking about the topic with you in Finnish.

• If you notice that your friend switches to English, just say something like this: Ei tarvitse vaihtaa kieltä mun takia. Puhu vaan suomea. Mä kysyn, jos en ymmärrä jotain. That means No need to change the language because of me. Go ahead and speak Finnish. I'll ask if I don't understand something.

You can also practice listening while waiting for a bus. :)

Related posts:

• How to add more Finnish to your life
• How to make Finns speak Finnish, not English
• How to ask Finns to speak easier Finnish
• Practicing Finnish with your friends and family

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About the author of this blog:  

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti, and I am a native Finn who gives private lessons via Skype and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please leave a comment, if you have something to ask about Finnish or novels in easy Finnish.

Lue selkokirja. Se voi olla yllättävän helppoa ja kivaa!
www.privatefinnishlessons.com/books