7 Best Apps and Courses for Learning Finnish [without having to study grammar]
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I’ve always been a big believer in learning language in context.
It’s especially important with a language like Finnish.
Because in Finnish the words take on a seemingly endless amount of different forms depending on their context.
Gamified and gimmicky vocabulary apps just won’t cut it.
There’s nothing wrong with gamifying and making things fun (an important part of language learning). But it shouldn’t be at the cost of actual effective language learning.
Finnish is a challenging language to learn, but it’s definitely possible to learn with the right tools and resources.
The tricky part is that there aren’t a whole lot of Finnish apps and courses, let alone good ones, out there.
What are the best apps and courses to learn Finnish?
I have compiled a list of what I think are the best Finnish ones currently.
Tools that will help you learn Finnish in the most effective (and fun!) way possible.
Some of these I wish were out when I started learning Finnish.
Those that I’ve carefully included in this list have 3 things in common:
They help you learn Finnish naturally (without having to study grammar)
They are fun, with a good user experience
They are effective Finnish learning tools
You will see resources from complete beginner, to intermediate, and more advanced levels.
No resource will cover all of your Finnish learning needs.
Which one will be the best for you right now depends on your current level, what you’re looking for, as well as your personal preference.
Note: All resources in this post have been thoroughly and personally tested by me.
1. LingQ
An “everything-in-one app” with endless possibilities to learn Finnish from content you love.
Best suited for levels:
Upper beginner (A1) all the way to advanced (C1).
Best for: Learning through your own passions and interests.
Pricing: $14.99/month
Annual discount: Yes - 33%
Lingtuitive discount: Use coupon code b_12lingtuitive to get 37% off total on a
1-year LingQ subscription.
Free trial: Yes - 100 free LingQs
(extended free trial through Lingtuitive).
Key Features
Learn Finnish through listening and reading
Import your own content to learn Finnish from (E-books, YouTube videos, news articles, blog posts, etc.)
Integrated pop-up dictionary (with AI translation options and ability to add own definitions)
An ever-expanding library of Finnish lessons
LingQs statistics to keep track of your progress
Daily streak function and goal-setting
Create multiple audio playlists
Read and listen at the same time (with text synced to audio)
Automatically transcribe any Finnish audio into text (through Whisper integration)
Pros & cons of LingQ
Pros:
Absorb Finnish naturally without it feeling like you’re studying a language
Learn through your own interests
You will never run out of content (since you can import your own)
Ability to simplify material that’s too difficult through AI
One of the most long-term language learning tools there is
Highly motivating with a brilliant tracking system (counting how many words you know, words read, etc.)
Cons:
Can be challenging for complete beginners
A bit of a learning curve to get used to how the app works and its features
Not for those who don’t enjoy reading
Summary
It’s no secret that LingQ is by far my favorite language app.
It’s been my main Finnish learning source since very early on (pretty much since I finished nr #2 on this list).
I still use it every single day.
Its combination of gamifying language learning while being highly effective is unbeatable.
You can either use the material available in LingQ’s ever-growing library or import any e-book, YouTube video, news article, blog post… you name it, with the click of a button.
It makes you forget you’re even learning a language. The learning just happens naturally by immersing in content that you find personally interesting.
Through listening and reading.
LingQ does have a bit of a learning curve to get a feel for how it works and its features (there are a lot of them to discover).
Some complete beginners might find it too challenging to start with right away.
With LingQ, you’ll never run out of interesting content to learn from, which is especially important with a language like Finnish.
LingQ also has incredible AI-integration where you can take material that you find too difficult and have AI make it into a simplified version. This is a game changer for language learning as the challenge (at lower levels) is the balance between material at the right level and being interesting.
The LingQ pop-up dictionary makes looking up words a breeze. You can even have AI explain words to you in Finnish if you’d like to.
LingQ is at the cutting edge of language learning and always striving to improve the user experience as well as tools to make language learning easier and more enjoyable.
If you’re someone who loves the idea of snuggling up with your favorite book to learn Finnish from, LingQ will be the ultimate resource for you.
Read my post about how I used LingQ to learn Finnish in these posts:
2. Pimsleur
Solid and time-tested approach for learning Finnish through audio lessons.
Best suited for levels:
Complete beginners (A1).
Best for: Busy people and a solid foundation for pronunciation.
Pricing: $14,95 - $20,95 per month (pay-as-you-go).
Lingtuitive promo: No.
Free trial: 7-day free trial or first lesson for free (depending on your country)
Key Features
Audio-based 30-minute lessons
Active participation by the learner through imaginary social situations
A unique and effective approach to learning pronunciation
Car mode (to learn while driving)
Reading lessons
Quizzes
Mini games
Pros & cons of Pimsleur
Pros:
Great start to learning Finnish
Smart and effective way of learning pronunciation
Easy to do “on-the-go”
Engaging and interactive approach to learning
Nice looking and well-made app
Cons:
Short (only 30 lessons are available in Finnish currently)
Uses very formal language
Unnecessary games like quizzes and reading lessons (that aren’t very effective)
50% of the lessons are in English
Summary
This is the first resource I used when starting to learn Finnish.
The lessons start with a short dialogue between two people.
The vocabulary from these dialogues is then broken down into 30-minute-long lessons by letting you participate in everyday situations.
New vocabulary is added with every lesson and previously learned vocabulary is repeated using a Spaced Repetition System.
You’re then prompted to actively use this vocabulary through different imaginary social situations that the lesson host guides you through.
It also teaches you a unique and very smart approach to pronunciation. It makes it easier to grab a hold of each new word, especially for longer words (which is common in Finnish).
It’s especially great for busy people as the lessons can be done on the go (since they are 100% audio). The car mode can be used when listening to the lessons while commuting to work.
Whether you’re navigating the website version or the Pimsleur app it’s a joy to use. It’s beautifully made and is easy to navigate.
The biggest downside with Pimsleur Finnish is that it’s very short with only 30 lessons total (compared to Spanish which has 150 lessons). It also has quite a bit of English.
It’s however a great introduction to Finnish and an approach that has stood the test of time.
Pimsleur offers pay-as-you-go monthly subscriptions.
When you’re done with it you can just cancel the subscription and move on to other resources.
Pimsleur offers a 7-day free trial to test the app out (if you’re in The US, Canada, The UK, or Australia. Other countries get a free lesson).
For more on how to get the most out of Pimsleur, read my post:
How to use Pimsleur for Best Results [and what to avoid at all costs]
Want to know how to learn a language intuitively, without having to break your brain?
If so, check out my guide Intuitive Language Secrets (while it’s still available for free)
Would you like me to send it to you?
3. Finnish Me
A fresh and unique approach to learning Finnish naturally through listening & watching videos.
Best suited for levels:
Upper beginner (A1) to upper intermediate (B2).
Best for: Understanding spoken language
Pricing: One-time 190€ (or 3 monthly payments of 70€)
Free trial: No, but the creator has many free videos on the “Finnished” YouTube channel (LingQ has many of them too with both audio and text)
Key Features
Guided self-study course
Learn by watching videos and through listening (using different studying techniques)
100% in Finnish (with dual subtitles in English and Finnish)
Learn about Finnish culture from a native Finn
Uses only colloquial spoken Finnish (“puhekieli”)
Lesson transcripts in Finnish and English
Downloadable audio and PDFs
Short stories with multiple versions (to highlight grammar without explicitly teaching grammar)
Pronunciation exercises
Personal e-mail support by the course creator
Monthly group coaching calls with the course creator
Pros & cons of Finnish Me
Pros:
Best overall course to learn Finnish
Everything is 100% in Finnish (making even the tutorials valuable as Finnish immersion)
One of the few Finnish resources that’s in 100% spoken language (“puhekieli”)
Great value for what you’re getting in the course
Very friendly and sympathetic course host
Goes straight to the core and “meat” of learning Finnish (no fluff)
Good exercises for training specifically challenging parts of pronunciation in Finnish
The 15-minute lesson “The Basics of Finnish” is the best grammar explanation I’ve ever seen
Cons:
No option to turn off subtitles
Not suited for those who want to learn written language (“kirjakieli”)
Won’t suit all complete beginners (requires a considerable tolerance for ambiguity)
Summary
Finnish Me is one of those rare courses that goes straight to the meat and ignores all the non-essentials.
It’s completely free of fluff.
It’s a very fresh, fun, and effective approach to learning Finnish.
It’s basically the opposite of a typical Finnish class (which focuses on learning Finnish grammar rules).
Instead, you learn by absorbing the language naturally by watching videos, without learning grammar.
There are also short stories told from different perspectives (to naturally learn the different tenses and conjugations), pronunciation exercises, downloadable audio, transcripts in Finnish in English, “The Busy Life Guide”, and my favorite:
The Basics of Finnish in 15 minutes. It’s the best and most concise explanation of Finnish grammar lessons that I have ever seen.
It doesn’t explain the rules, but rather just to look out for so you can be more aware when you immerse in the language.
You will be taught a variety of methods for how to learn using the videos. That way, you still use the same videos whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced. You just change the method of how you learn from them to suit your current level.
Students of the course have found these methods to be worth the price of the course alone (since these methods can be applied to any material, outside the course).
Even for me, who have been exposed to countless different learning methods, learned new interesting methods.
The course is focused on learning spoken Finnish (“puhekieli”), so it’s ideal for those of you whose main goal is to understand Finnish people when they speak (and be able to speak like them).
If that’s you, Finnish Me” might just be one of the best choices on this list.
I wish this course was available when I first started learning Finnish. It would have helped me be able to speak better and at an earlier stage.
One of the best parts is that everything is completely in Finnish, which makes even the tutorials valuable as Finnish immersion learning tools.
The course can be used for beginners but will be more suitable for those who have a high tolerance for ambiguity.
If you’re a beginner and want to feel more “in control” when learning then, I would suggest first going with one of the other resources on this list.
I would have preferred to be able to turn on and off the subtitles (which might come in a future update), but you also have the option to download the audio and just listen to it on your phone, so it’s only a minor gripe.
The course has quite a bit of content and the course creator has really understood what moves the needle the most when learning Finnish.
It’s a wonderful course that’s a rare gem among language courses in general.
For more on Finnish Me, check out my extensive review of the course:
Finnish Me Review (a Unique and Effective Way to Learn Finnish)
4. iTalki
Customize your learning and practice conversations with native speakers through online language lessons.
Best suited for levels:
All levels (but may not be the best use of time for complete beginners).
Best for: Practicing conversations
Pricing: $15 - $60 per 1-hour lesson
Lingtuitive promotion:
Get $10 extra lesson credits gifted to you (after your first lesson)
Free trial: No. But you can take up to 3 trial lessons at a lower price
Key Features
1-on-1 private online Finnish video call lessons
Conversation practice with native speakers
Take as many or as few lessons as you want at a time that fits you
Learning completely customized to you
Pros & cons of iTalki
Pros:
Fun and effective way to practice conversations
Completely customized to your needs
Get answers to your questions from a native Finnish speaker
No commitment required (book as many or as few lessons as you want when it suits you)
Great for extroverts who thrive on face-to-face interaction with people
Cons:
Teachers can be hit or miss (some might want to teach Finnish too much)
Need to wait for the teacher to accept your lesson requests
No refunds of iTalki credits
Not ideal as a stand-alone learning method
Summary
Few things are more motivating when learning Finnish than talking to a native speaker.
iTalki lessons have been an important part of my Finnish learning journey, as it has for so many others.
If you’re someone who is highly extroverted, or you just need personal support and guidance, iTalki lessons are amazing.
Just book a time that’s suitable for you and take as many or as few lessons as you want. There’s no commitment required.
By meeting with Finnish teachers you’re able to practice conversation, learn vocabulary relevant to your life, and get help in clearing up any questions you have.
These lessons are what helped me hold a 5-minute speech dedicated to my wife (completely in Finnish) at our wedding.
For complete beginners, iTalki might not be the best use of your time. It will become more effective once you reach the upper beginner or lower intermediate levels.
The downside is that it’s not enough as a standalone resource (unless you take lessons every single day). So you need to do other things in between lessons if you want to progress at a good rate.
You might also need to try a few teachers to find someone that you jive with.
(I can highly recommend Sabrin and Stefano. They are amazing!)
Once you buy iTalki credits there’s no way for them to be refunded, so just be mindful of that when buying credits.
Price varies from teacher to teacher, but you can take up to 3 trial lessons (at 30 minutes) to try different teachers to see which one you like.
By signing up through my link below you get 10$ extra iTalki credits gifted to your account after you have your first lesson.
Read more about my experience with Finnish iTalki lessons (and how I through them learned to converse with Finnish people and hold a 5-min speech completely in Finnish to my wife at our wedding):
How I Learned Finnish (Without Studying Grammar) - Part 2
Other posts about iTalki:
5. Glossika
An effective method of using mass sentences to internalize the Finnish language structure and produce it with flow.
Best suited for levels:
Intermediate (B1-B2).
(there is beginner material as well, but the bulk of the material is at around a B1 level)
Best for: Intuitively internalize the grammar structures of spoken language
Pricing: $16.99 per month (1 language) $30.99 per month (all languages)
Annual discount: Yes, 19% off
Lingtuitive discount: $5 off first purchase
Free trial: 7-day free trial
If you want to support Lingtuitive, make sure to complete your purchase through a web browser instead of the app (I only earn any commissions on purchases made through the website)
Key Features
A rep-based listen-and-repeat approach to internalize the structures of the Finnish language intuitively
Listening-based (with text to reinforce the audio)
Clear audio from a female native speaker
Colloquial spoken language (“puhekieli”)
Spaced Repetition (to spread out reviews efficiently)
Recording mode to improve pronunciation by comparing it to native speakers
On-the-go learning through the Glossika app
Progress tracker
Customizable settings (speech speed, number of repetitions, length of pauses between reps, etc.)
Pros & Cons of Glossika
Pros
High-quality and clear audio
Easy to do on the go (since it’s audio-based)
Natural spoken colloquial Finnish
Effective for intuitively internalizing how Finnish people speak
Helps you develop speaking skills and natural flow
Great looking interface on the website and app
Cons
Can get repetitive after a while
Reps pile up if not done every day
Some mismatches in the audio and text (about 1% of the Finnish recordings)
Summary
Through Glossika’s mass sentence approach, you’re being exposed to a large amount of sentences.
By bombarding yourself with tons and tons of sentences your brain starts making connections and intuitively understands how the language works. Through sheer repetition and exposure.
It eventually becomes part of your muscle memory.
It’s a bit of a going-to-the-gym approach to language learning.
First, you hear the sentence in English (or your base language of choice) and then you hear it in your target language (Finnish). There’s then a moment of silence and then you have a chance to repeat that sentence out loud.
Then it moves on to the next sentence.
You get a certain amount of new sentences each day, but the majority of the time you’re reviewing sentences you’ve learned previously.
This is all done through a Spaced Repetition System (where each rep shows up with increased intervals every time). This is to maximize your time and review them just often enough before your brain is about to forget it.
You can also use Glossika’s recording function and fine-tune your pronunciation by comparing it to the native speaker.
Glossika also has writing exercises, but the core of Glossika is in hearing the sentences (I recommend using the “listening-only mode”).
There are some mismatches where the text and audio don’t match. Out of the 3,800 sentences I only encountered about 30 so it’s not a big deal in my opinion.
A downside with Glossika is that it can get repetitive after a while. So if you are someone who needs more variety you might prefer other Finnish learning tools.
If you are however someone who thrives on having a consistent workout routine, and don’t mind just “getting the reps in”, then Glossika is a brilliant approach of “downloading the language” to your brain.
It’s motivating seeing the number of sentences learned and reps done go up every day.
The sentences are from complete beginner (A1) up to lower advanced (C1). However, most of the content is at about a B1 so that is in my opinion the sweet spot level-wise.
I greatly benefitted from using Glossika over 7-8 months and it helped me internalize the Finnish patterns to make my Finnish sound more natural and also flow better.
It’s an effective tool if used with patience and consistent practice.
The fact that you can do it hands-free makes it easy and convenient to get those reps in every day.
Want to know more about Glossika before trying it out? Check out my review:
I Finished ALL (3,800) Finnish Glossika Sentences - Was it Worth it? [Review]
6. Finnish Pod 101
A wide variety of content with its podcast-style lessons makes Finnish Pod 101 a good choice to learn Finnish from scratch.
Best suited for levels:
Beginners (A1 to A2).
Best for: Variety and amount of content for beginners.
Pricing: $8, $25, or $47 per month (for basic, premium, or premium plus)
Annual discount: Yes.
BLACK FRIDAY 2024 Discount: Until November 29th, 11:59 PM EST, you get a whopping 51% OFF any Finnish 101 plan!
Free trial: 7-day free trial of the premium subscription (some content is also available with a free account).
Key Features
Podcast-style 15-minute lessons
Large database of material for beginners
Apple TV app
Flashcards
Short dialogues
Comment section on each lesson (where learners can comment on the lesson and get questions answered)
Video listening practice lessons (with visual cues)
Reading lessons
Downloadable lessons
3-minute lessons
Pros & cons of Finnish Pod 101
Pros:
A lot of lessons and variety in lesson types and material
Enjoyable podcast-style format to ease your way into the language
An enjoyable overall feel and experience
60-day full refund policy
One of the few language learning resources that has an Apple TV app
No credit card is needed to sign up for the free version
Cons:
Teaches only “kirjakieli” (written language)
Podcasts have a lot of English at the lower levels
Antiquated-looking phone app
Not all the lessons are useful for learning Finnish
Summary
I used the Cantonese version of Pod 101 when I first started learning Cantonese.
I really enjoyed it.
I have since also tried Finnish Pod 101. It’s a good way to get started with Finnish, especially if you’re a complete beginner.
It’s great for variety since they have a large amount of lessons and varied content to offer.
The main lessons are in a podcast-style. They are highly scripted and can be quite cheesy sometimes, but I honestly don’t mind that (I love cheesy stuff honestly).
What I like about Pod 101 is that you really feel immersed in the culture of Finnish. It just helps you feel excited about the language.
I think it’s because you’re offered so much content from different types of people. You have podcast lessons, 3-minute lessons, dialogues, funny expressions, listening practice lessons, to name a few.
It feels like you’re entering into a new and exciting world of Finnish.
Pod 101 sometimes gets criticized for having a lot of English in its podcasts. While this is true (and I would prefer more Finnish like in Finnish Me), I think that’s totally okay for a beginner’s course.
Because the podcast lessons are easy to listen to while doing other things you’re not necessarily losing precious study time.
You just have to make sure to do other activities such as working with the dialogues, learning new words, doing the listening practice lessons, and so on.
I’m personally not a fan of studying grammar. In this course, you’re at least learning it in the context of conversation, which makes it much easier to absorb (rather than studying a bunch of rules separately).
Finnish Pod 101 has “advanced lessons”, but in my opinion, this program will take you max to around a lower intermediate (B1).
The bulk of the materials are at the beginner level (which is the level I would recommend this course to be used).
One of my favorite features is the Apple TV app.
I wish more language apps and products did this! It makes it very convenient to binge content and learn Finnish from the couch.
Be aware that what you’re getting taught is mostly (with a few exceptions) written and more formal language. As a beginner, I think this is fine though as it then sets you up to learn the more colloquial and spoken language.
You also have to be selective with what material you use, as not all of it is useful for improving your Finnish (the reading lessons for example aren’t the best way to improve reading in my opinion).
Just use what you find useful and fun, and don’t feel like you need to finish all of it.
To get the most out of Finnish Pod 101 I would mainly focus on:
Listening through the podcasts (and focusing on the short dialogues)
Listening lessons
3-min lessons
Overall it’s an enjoyable app and has tons of content. It’s great for those of you who’d like to customize your path of learning and pick and choose what content you learn from.
You can also select different paths with different lessons packaged together for a more streamlined learning experience.
Some of the lessons are available with a free account, but most of them require a subscription. I recommend the premium subscription (you can try it for 7 days for free).
Use the link below to get 51% off any plan on Finnish Pod 101 through Lingtuitive (the promo is until Nov 29th 2024)
7. Speakly
A fun and engaging app that focuses on the right things to learn Finnish, giving you a satisfying feeling as you level up and unlock new lessons.
Best suited for levels:
Total beginners (A1) up to lower intermediate (B1)
Best for: Gamified learning for beginners
Pricing: 9.99€ per month (includes all languages)
Annual discount: Yes - 60% off (or get a lifetime account for only 139.99€).
Lingtuitive discount: No.
Free trial: 7-day free trial
Key Features
Point-earning system for completed lessons and words learned
Listening lessons
Vocabulary lessons
“Live situations” to practice speaking
Voice-recognizing software (to get feedback on pronunciation)
Teaches you the 4,000 most relevant words in Finnish
Level placement test (to get lessons adjusted to your level)
Grammar reference guide
Pros & cons of Speakly
Pros:
Beautiful and user-friendly app
Very affordable
Teaches you all the vocabulary in context, rather than isolated words
Listening exercises
You can learn using Estonian and Russian as your base language
Speaking exercises in the app
Clear native speaker audio
Cons:
Uses only written language (“kirjakieli”)
Limited benefits beyond intermediate levels
Pronunciation check isn’t 100% accurate
Summary
Speakly is an app that focuses on using what they call an “active approach to learning”.
You learn new words through vocabulary lessons, practice understanding Finnish through listening exercises, and actively practice speaking it through “live situations” and other speaking exercises (using their voice-recognizing software).
The app is very beautiful and easy to navigate, which makes learning Finnish with Speakly a pleasurable experience.
It’s a bit like Duolingo, except it’s actually effective in helping you learn Finnish (plus it looks way nicer).
Speakly uses a point-collecting system that you get from doing activities like vocabulary lessons, listening lessons, or even listening to songs.
By collecting points you unlock even more Finnish lessons. You’re basically rewarded by learning Finnish with what you’re wanting to do:
Learn even more Finnish.
You have to learn a certain number of words to unlock the different listening exercises and other activities.
It’s a clever way to keep you motivated to keep going.
I’m usually not the biggest fan of these types of vocabulary apps, but it works very well in Speakly because of 2 things:
You learn whole sentences (not just separate words).
You get to hear the language in context through the listening exercises.
Speakly is a great way to get used to the language without getting grammar explanations.
It throws you into learning Finnish but it also builds slowly.
They do have a grammar guide, but I appreciate that Speakly takes a lighthearted approach to it. It’s more of a reference that you can check in between lessons if questions come up.
The goal is to learn words and sentences while also practicing speaking them when prompted by the app.
I particularly like the listening exercises. These are very valuable for improving your listening comprehension (which should be the main goal when learning a language).
The listening lessons have flowing Finnish transcriptions you can read and listen at the same time (you have the option to see the English translation as well).
There are also “live situations”, where practice having a short interaction with someone. It’s a nice touch to keep you active and engaged as a learner.
Speakly works best for beginner levels in my opinion.
Even though it has “advanced levels” you’ll max get to around a lower intermediate (B1) by only using Speakly.
The Finnish used is written language (“kirjakieli”), which I think is good at the lower levels to provide a foundation for learning the spoken version later.
You can create a free Speakly account, but it’s very limited in features, so I’d recommend trying a free 7-day trial of their premium version to really get a feel for the app.
Speakly is very affordable at a mere 47.99€ per year (or 139.99€ for a lifetime account!)
All the plans include all languages (which is great if you’re planning on learning more languages).
Speakly is not only one of the most enjoyable apps I’ve tried, but it also focuses on the right things to help you learn Finnish.
