Finnish langblr

A blog for Finnish language learning, kept by two native Finnish speakers. Also some posts about Finnish culture. Feel free to ask any questions that come to mind.

[lily-learns-finnish]

Apua! Help!

Apparently if you want to yell for help in Finnish it’s necessary to use the partitive case: 

“Apua! Apua!” means “Help! Help!” 

Apparently if you use the basic form and yell  “Apu! Apu!” it sounds like you are yelling “The act of help! The act of help!” and the person you want to help you may laugh at you - speaking from experience.

[myslijuudas-deactivated20180906]

Actually, since the verb for ‘to help’ is auttaa, I’d argue that ‘the act of help’ is auttaminen.

But the reason why you need to use partitive is that the noun apu is uncountable. To yell “Apu! Apu!” in Finnish is to yell “A help! A help!” in English. Doesn’t make sense? I thought so. Using the partitive case indicates that you need some help, and not that the concept of help has materialized before your eyes (?).

[learnsuomi]

Finnish song of the day:

Artist: Litku Klemetti

Song: Jääkuningatar (Ice queen)

[kavesinisukka]

English: It fits like a glove. Spanish: It fits like a ring on the finger. Italian: It fits like shoes painted on with a brush.

Finnish: It fits like  a . FiST.   iN.   the  EYe .   (ง'̀-‘́)ง

[hillanguages]

Hei! I had an idea of letting my character Unto to show everyday life situations in finnish, but in the way I, as an a native speaker say things. (Meaning spoken language and lil’ bit of words from the dialect I speak.  First one is an easiest way to order that I could think of, because you won’t need to conjugate any words. 

Keep reading

[ultipoter]

Visit Original Link

Little Arsonist

This song is about a small boy who, lacking proper parental love, sets his grandma on fire out of boredom, killing her. Sets his own mother on fire, several times….. Eventually his own parents spread gasoline in his room in the middle of the night, lock the door and the mother lights the match, smiling.

[learnsuomi]

Aalto University's free and open online course for beginners

A free online course by finnish Aalto University for beginners.

Course description from the site:

“Introductory Finnish is a self-study online course that teaches Finnish from no prior background to a lower beginner level and functions as an orientation phase for newcomers to enable easier adaptation to Finland. The course introduces everyday language and includes activities to practice listening and reading comprehension, writing, and speaking. With the course, it is possible to build a very useful vocabulary and a grammar knowledge of the Finnish language.”

The registration has already opened and will be closed on May 31st at 9 am (UTC +2). The course begins on June 1st.

[learnsuomi]

Finnish song of the day:

Song: Käy Muumilaaksoon (Get in Moominvalley) This time the song is a bit unusual, not something you’d hear in a radio. It is the full theme of a children’s cartoon Muumilaakson tarinoita (Moomin in English). Moomins were created by  Tove Jansson, a Swedish speaking finnish author and an artist.

[learnsuomi]

Seven Deadly Sins in Finnish

Seven deadly sins = Seitsemän kuolemansyntiä

Pride = Ylpeys Envy = Kateus Wrath = Viha Sloth = Laiskuus Greed = Ahneus Gluttony = Ylensyönti Lust = Himo

[learnsuomi]

Finnish song of the day:

Artist: Loituma

Song: Ieavan Polkka (Ieva’s Polka)

[learnsuomi]

Makeup vocabulary in Finnish

blush = poskipuna eyebrow pencil = kulmakynä eyeliner = kajaali eyeshadow = luomiväri foundation = meikkivoide lip gloss = huulikiilto lipstick = huulipuna makeup = meikki mascara = ripsiväri, maskara to do makeup = meikata powder = puuteri

[learnsuomi]

Finnish song of the day:

Artist: Haloo Helsinki!

Song: Kuussa tuulee (It’s windy in the Moon)

[learnsuomi]

Some Finnish verbs

carry = kantaa come = tulla complain = valittaa cook = kokata, laittaa ruokaa cry = itkeä deny = kieltää die = kuolla do = tehdä draw = piirtää drop = pudota (as in it dropped), pudottaa (as in I dropped it) drown = hukkua

[learnsuomi]

Hyvää Juhannusta!

Happy Midsummer! Finnish people celebrate on Midsummer day’s eve. Midsummer is a celebration of light and summer solstice, and it is also celebrated in other Northern European countries like Sweden and Baltic states. Finns often go to their summer cottages for Juhannus and have fun with friends and family. A big part of Juhannus is kokko, a bonfire, which is often burned at the lakesides or by the sea. There are also juhannustaiat (Midsummer magic) which are a part of finnish folklore. They were mostly used in hopes of good luck for finding a groom or fertility. Nowadays these rituals are not very common because of the lack of superstition in modern Finland. You can read more about Midsummer here [x].

[learnsuomi]

Finnish song of the day:

Artist: Herra Ylppö & Ihmiset (Mister Ylppö & the People)

Song: Sata vuotta (Hundred years)

[learnsuomi]

Some Finnish verbs

to accept = hyväksyä to admire = ihailla to agree = olla samaa mieltä (olla is the verb meaning to be and samaa mieltä is loosely “of the same opinion”) to annoy = ärsyttää to answer = vastata to appreciate = arvostaa to ask = kysyä to avoid = välttyä, vältellä to begin = alkaa, aloittaa to behave = käyttäytyä to believe = uskoa

[learnsuomi]

Finnish song of the day:

Artist: Antti Tuisku

Song: Hyökyaalto (Rogue wave)

[learnsuomi]

A Finnish comic blog

Mad Tea Party is a comic blog kept by a Finnish comic artist and graphic designer. Underneath the comics there are smaller pictures you can click bigger which have the translation from Finnish to English.