How many Irish people are trying to learn Finnish

dogbert27 · 22-05-2009, 06:42

Moi, miten menee?!

Just wondering how many Irish people there are here who, like myself, are trying to learn Finnish because they might one day move to Finland with their Finnish OH and again like myself are failing miserably at learning the language!!!

Overflow · 24-05-2009, 01:40

I wouldnt say too many, my OH father is Finnish and it sounds like a damn hard language to learn! Have you tried any of the pimsleur courses ?

brendanuk · 28-06-2009, 20:20

i have tried in the past in finland. There was a course in finnish somewhere in Dublin (googled) http://www.sandfordlanguages.ie/cour...ection=Evening

might give a go again

dogbert27 · 17-07-2009, 08:51

Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to learn it myself with the OH being from Finland I think it's important to learn it so to keep all options open for us in the future.
I'm using the Teach Yourself Finnish by Terttu Leeny (spelling?) which is good to a point but is very orientated towards being a tourist.
I'm also trying to translate Muumin cartoons taking them in segments, understanding what is written and then going back reading in Finnish but knowing what I'm reading. It works to a point. Some things stick, some don't.
Have tried conversations with the OH but it gets so slow and frustrating for the both of us that we end up talking English.
I saw the course in Dublin but unfortunately I don't live in the area.
I have some language learning software too but it's really hard to sit down at the computer in the evenings when you sit in front of one all day at work!!

Brendanuk what brought you to Finland in the past?

NilByMouth · 17-07-2009, 09:01

2 of friends have tried to learn it but had to give up!!!Its suppose to be hard language to pick up.Luckily there OH's like ireland

mattysin · 20-07-2009, 22:59

i have got a load of resources but its very tough . i have a lot of finnish friends and have been to finland many times. i would live there but the language is a big wall

brendanuk · 29-07-2009, 10:46

Quote:

Brendanuk what brought you to Finland in the past?

Finnish girl i met in Munich, we travelled about abit and ended up in Helsinki.
We have a daughter together, so i go and visit couple of times a year.

Quote:

Have tried conversations with the OH but it gets so slow and frustrating for the both of us that we end up talking English.

When i was learning in Helsinki I used to come home from the course and try and do homework with OH and had the same problems. She said my Finnish was "paska"

. You need to be encouraged and not get too frustrated, easier said than done! I am hoping my daughter will teach me now

People have done it so its not impossible, Keith Armstrong is a presenter on finnsh football tv and everyone says his finnish is very good, fluent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Armstrong

http://www.finlandforum.org/viewtopi...=4943&start=15

dogbert27 · 29-07-2009, 12:34

Hi Brendan,

thanks for the reply and the links. Great story regarding Keith Armstrong. As he said he did immersion in an area where nobody spoke English.
If it was financially possible I'd give it a go but unfortunately it's not!

I'll keep plugging away here though. It's hard to speak Finnish when I get over there, maybe it's the Irish confidence thing but I feel kind of foolish speaking in pidgeon Finnish when I know everyone can understand me if I talk in English. The last time I was there we were in a pub and I answered a question in Finnish and everyone was looking at me as if I had 2 heads! It took them a few seconds to realise that I had spoken Finnish and not some sort of drunken English!

brendanuk · 29-07-2009, 16:41

Dont worry they look at most foreigners like they have 2 heads

good luck with the learning, I cant really give advice as I am still at pointing stage and saying "mitä tämä on". Have ordered pints and bought things in shops.

What about watching dvds in finnish with english subtitles, if you can get them. Try and get OH involved they would be best teacher imo. What about listening to finnish radio stations on the internet?

Your right about making fool of yourself, I am learning more and have more fun learning with my daughter who also looks at me like i am crazy, but I dont mind that, she is minun kaunis kukka

dogbert27 · 30-07-2009, 12:43

Kiitos for the encouragement! http://static.boards.ie/vbulletin/im...ons/icon14.gif

Have the dvd's and the internet radio stations, they are a help. At the moment I'm translating comic strips and then going back reading them in Finnish and understanding what the say. The OH is helping too.

How long were you in Finland for? Did you actually get work there? I've been on the finlandforum and it gets fairly depressing reading about peoples failed experiences looking for work!

brendanuk · 30-07-2009, 21:08

Quote:

How long were you in Finland for? Did you actually get work there?

Was there for maybe 7 months. Yes i got work in software house but wasnt great, paid the rent and thats about it.

scottledeuce · 26-08-2009, 16:54

I've just started my Masters Degree in Tampere and will be taking language classes for the next two years, As they keep saying "it's not a tough language, It's just different"

It's true in saying the best way to learn is by being here,For the moment I just try and take note of words around me, cash registers door handles and try and remember them, hopefully I'll get to the point of translating newspapers soon

anplaya · 30-08-2009, 16:03

tsnu,i speak a bit of estonian,the person i learnt it from considers themself nordic not baltic,even though estonia is not strictly a nordic country,the characteristics of an estonian are similiar to nordic people and also the language is closely related to finnish rather than their baltic neighbours in latvia and lithuania.ethnic estonians closely resemble the nordic people a lot more than the baltics in looks ,mannerisms etc in my opinion

suomi · 01-09-2009, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by anplaya

tsnu,i speak a bit of estonian,the person i learnt it from considers themself nordic not baltic,even though estonia is not strictly a nordic country,the characteristics of an estonian are similiar to nordic people and also the language is closely related to finnish rather than their baltic neighbours in latvia and lithuania.ethnic estonians closely resemble the nordic people a lot more than the baltics in looks ,mannerisms etc in my opinion

I agree, I'm Finnish and Estonian does sound a lot like Finnish, actually it sounds like Finnish with made up words.

Some Finnish words are Estonian words too, they just have a different meaning. I think for a Finnish person it's pretty easy to understand Estonian because some of the words are so similar. I'm not sure if Estonian people are like Finnish people though, haven't really met any, but the languages for sure are a lot alike.

yep didn't know it was possible to repeat "Estonian" and "Finnish" this many times in one post

anplaya · 01-09-2009, 16:40

well ive been to denmark,estonia and norway,seems pretty similiar to me so im assuming swedish and finnish people are also the same.

22-05-2009, 06:42	#1
dogbert27 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 139 Adverts \| Friends	How many Irish people are trying to learn Finnish Moi, miten menee?! Just wondering how many Irish people there are here who, like myself, are trying to learn Finnish because they might one day move to Finland with their Finnish OH and again like myself are failing miserably at learning the language!!!

24-05-2009, 01:40	#2
Overflow Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Grimstad, Norway Posts: 567 Adverts \| Friends	I wouldnt say too many, my OH father is Finnish and it sounds like a damn hard language to learn! Have you tried any of the pimsleur courses ? __________________ www.snowmigo.com - Snowmigo coming this Winter Season 2009/10. Something for all Winter Sports enthusiasts ! twitter.com/snowmigo -Follow our progress on Twitter

17-07-2009, 09:01	#5
NilByMouth Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 153 Adverts \| Friends	2 of friends have tried to learn it but had to give up!!!Its suppose to be hard language to pick up.Luckily there OH's like ireland __________________ missing:1 chair leg,cant sit down without it,please PM if found.

29-07-2009, 16:41	#9
brendanuk Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 73 Adverts \| Friends	Dont worry they look at most foreigners like they have 2 heads good luck with the learning, I cant really give advice as I am still at pointing stage and saying "mitä tämä on". Have ordered pints and bought things in shops. What about watching dvds in finnish with english subtitles, if you can get them. Try and get OH involved they would be best teacher imo. What about listening to finnish radio stations on the internet? Your right about making fool of yourself, I am learning more and have more fun learning with my daughter who also looks at me like i am crazy, but I dont mind that, she is minun kaunis kukka Last edited by brendanuk; 29-07-2009 at 16:50.

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28-06-2009, 20:20	#3
brendanuk Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 73 Adverts \| Friends	i have tried in the past in finland. There was a course in finnish somewhere in Dublin (googled) http://www.sandfordlanguages.ie/cour...ection=Evening might give a go again

17-07-2009, 08:51	#4
dogbert27 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 139 Adverts \| Friends	Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to learn it myself with the OH being from Finland I think it's important to learn it so to keep all options open for us in the future. I'm using the Teach Yourself Finnish by Terttu Leeny (spelling?) which is good to a point but is very orientated towards being a tourist. I'm also trying to translate Muumin cartoons taking them in segments, understanding what is written and then going back reading in Finnish but knowing what I'm reading. It works to a point. Some things stick, some don't. Have tried conversations with the OH but it gets so slow and frustrating for the both of us that we end up talking English. I saw the course in Dublin but unfortunately I don't live in the area. I have some language learning software too but it's really hard to sit down at the computer in the evenings when you sit in front of one all day at work!! Brendanuk what brought you to Finland in the past?

20-07-2009, 22:59	#6
mattysin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 12 Adverts \| Friends	i have got a load of resources but its very tough . i have a lot of finnish friends and have been to finland many times. i would live there but the language is a big wall

29-07-2009, 12:34	#8
dogbert27 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 139 Adverts \| Friends	Hi Brendan, thanks for the reply and the links. Great story regarding Keith Armstrong. As he said he did immersion in an area where nobody spoke English. If it was financially possible I'd give it a go but unfortunately it's not! I'll keep plugging away here though. It's hard to speak Finnish when I get over there, maybe it's the Irish confidence thing but I feel kind of foolish speaking in pidgeon Finnish when I know everyone can understand me if I talk in English. The last time I was there we were in a pub and I answered a question in Finnish and everyone was looking at me as if I had 2 heads! It took them a few seconds to realise that I had spoken Finnish and not some sort of drunken English!

30-07-2009, 12:43	#10
dogbert27 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 139 Adverts \| Friends	Kiitos for the encouragement! http://static.boards.ie/vbulletin/im...ons/icon14.gif Have the dvd's and the internet radio stations, they are a help. At the moment I'm translating comic strips and then going back reading them in Finnish and understanding what the say. The OH is helping too. How long were you in Finland for? Did you actually get work there? I've been on the finlandforum and it gets fairly depressing reading about peoples failed experiences looking for work!

26-08-2009, 16:54	#12
scottledeuce Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tampere Posts: 188 Adverts \| Friends	I've just started my Masters Degree in Tampere and will be taking language classes for the next two years, As they keep saying "it's not a tough language, It's just different" It's true in saying the best way to learn is by being here,For the moment I just try and take note of words around me, cash registers door handles and try and remember them, hopefully I'll get to the point of translating newspapers soon

30-08-2009, 16:03	#13
anplaya Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: minu pepu!!:-) Posts: 649 Adverts \| Friends	tsnu,i speak a bit of estonian,the person i learnt it from considers themself nordic not baltic,even though estonia is not strictly a nordic country,the characteristics of an estonian are similiar to nordic people and also the language is closely related to finnish rather than their baltic neighbours in latvia and lithuania.ethnic estonians closely resemble the nordic people a lot more than the baltics in looks ,mannerisms etc in my opinion

01-09-2009, 16:40	#15
anplaya Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: minu pepu!!:-) Posts: 649 Adverts \| Friends	well ive been to denmark,estonia and norway,seems pretty similiar to me so im assuming swedish and finnish people are also the same.