After living in Helsinki for the past few years, I’ve been trying (and struggling) to learn Finnish. It’s not going smooth (never thought it would be smooth tho). My impatience, especially when faced with something as notoriously tricky as this language, hasn’t exactly helped me stay motivated or focused. So, I thought I’d write down my tangled thoughts here. Maybe by unpacking my messy mind, I can make sense of it all, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll have some suggestions to help me improve my learning process.

What I’ve Tried So Far

1. Online Courses

I started with a beginner-level online Finnish course I’m glad I did. The class was well-structured, the teachers were excellent, and I still remember the key materials we covered which says a lot about how well they taught.

But the pace was too slow for me. With around 20 students in each session, it was understandable, but I’ve always had a habit of setting my own pace. Even back in school, I’d often end up learning ahead while the teacher explained something I had already picked up on my own. And that’s what I did during the online Finnish course.

2. Creating My Own “Curriculum”

So I started learning by myself. I liked being able to go at my own pace, on my own schedule, with the flexibility to go all out when I had the energy.

But here’s the thing about flexibility: it’s a double-edged sword. Some days I’d study for hours; other days, I’d skip learning altogether. Not the most consistent routine.

Another hurdle is designing the actual “curriculum”. I don’t have an educational background, so I had no idea how to structure a proper learning path, especially not for a language as complex as Finnish.

Almost everyone I’ve talked to who’s tried learning Finnish agrees: it’s hard. Like, really hard. So I know I need two things to move forward:

• A better sense of commitment and discipline
• A solid, well-structured curriculum that keeps me learning systematically and satisfies my curiosity

Tools I’ve Used (and My Honest Opinions)

Apps

1. Duolingo

Let’s start with the one everyone knows. I’ve used Duolingo for over 500 days and finished all the Finnish levels. My verdict is don’t rely on it if you want to actually learn Finnish.

Why?

• It teaches a lot of vocabulary that’s not used in daily conversation
• It doesn’t offer a wide enough range of vocabulary
• There’s very little explanation about grammar or sentence structure

I’ve used Duolingo for other languages, while I didn’t expect a full language course, I think Finnish is the most underwhelming experience I’ve had with the app. I assume this is because Finnish isn’t as widely studied, so the content hasn’t been prioritized.

2. Speakly

This one is recommended by a lot of Finnish learners in multiple social media platform and it has been surprisingly helpful. Speakly offers grammar explanations, varied vocabulary, and levels that make you feel like you’re actually progressing. I ended up subscribing for a year, and I don’t regret it. It’s practical and focused on real-life language use.

3. WordDive

WordDive is snother great app, and what makes it even better is that it’s locally developed in Finland so it feels very aligned with everyday Finnish. The only downside is pricey for my budget. That said, the learning materials are thoughtfully arranged, and I can see why it costs more. It’s just me who’s broke 😅.

4. Clozemaster

I absolutely love clozemaster. It goes REALLY deep into explaining why certain words are used, what grammar structures they follow, and the context behind sentence choices. It’s a great web if you’re curious about the why behind the language, though it can feel a bit overwhelming, in a good way.

Books

1. Finnish for Foreigners

This is a great starting material if you’re learning Finnish from scratch. The book presents Finnish and English side by side, making it easy to understand the meaning of each word or sentence. It breaks everything down from the very basics and does a good job of helping newcomers grasp how Finnish grammar works, giving us a clue of what to expect from future learning resources. A perfect book for both foreigners and beginners.

2. Colloquial Finnish

This book works wonderfully alongside Finnish for Foreigners, especially since it also provides clear English explanations. Right away, I noticed how much easier it is to use: the wide margins and clean layout make it far less intimidating than the dense pages of Finnish for Foreigners. The very first chapter even mirrors the kind of material you’d find in Suomen Mestari (which I’ll get to later), giving the impression that the structure is solid, thoughtfully designed, and a reliable starting point for beginners.

My favourite feature is how it balances explanations with practice. After each new term, you get an exercise that lets you immediately check your understanding. The answer key is included too at the end of the book, which makes it very beginner-friendly because you don’t feel stuck or left guessing. Even better, the exercises build on vocabulary already introduced in earlier pages. It’s a clever way to jog your memory while weaving in the new material, so nothing feels random or out of place.

At the end of the chapter, there’s a short reading passage that reuses the vocabulary you’ve just learned. This means you can lean entirely on what the book has already taught you, rather than scrambling to translate unfamiliar words. And when new vocabulary does pop up, the book gives you a quick note on its meaning right there on the page. I find this refreshing, because with other learning materials I often had to pause and reach for an external dictionary, even for simple words. Here, the learning stays continuous and smooth, without unnecessary interruptions.

3. Suomen Mestari

This is the most commonly recommended book in Finnish language courses in Finland. I found it really helpful. The way it simplifies complex topics shows that the book has gone through multiple revisions and improvements. That said, there are two things to note:

• It’s written entirely in Finnish. If you’re learning solo from zero, this can be a real struggle.
• It’s not designed for self-study. You can use it on your own, but it’s best used with guidance. If you’ve taken a class that uses this book, it becomes easier to navigate it independently later on.

4. Finnish: An Essential Grammar by Fred Karlsson

This is my go-to book for grammar. It’s incredibly useful for people who like to analyze how words change in different contexts. The examples are clear, and the explanations are thorough. It’s definitely not a casual read, but if you love digging into linguistic details, this book delivers.

5. From Start to Finnish

After I finished Colloquial Finnish, I moved on to From Start to Finnish by Leila White. My first impression was: this book has a stronger structure. It groups words that are similar or even near-synonyms together, which feels far more practical when you’re trying to build vocabulary skills.

With some Finnish resources, synonyms are either not mentioned at all, or they’re scattered across the book like little easter eggs. And sure, you can piece them together yourself but that turns into yet another layer of “homework” on top of the already-heavy learning process. That extra effort might be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what kind of learner you are. For me, I appreciated that From Start to Finnish makes those connections more visible instead of leaving me to hunt for them.

I also genuinely enjoyed using this book because it’s tidy. The layout is clean and the explanations feel organized. That sounds like a small detail, but when you’re studying regularly, tidiness matters. A messy page can make a messy brain.

That said, I wouldn’t call the difficulty level fully beginner-friendly. For example, in the exercises of verb negation, there are questions the book expects you to already know grammar that hasn’t been explained yet. For example, one practice asks you to translate: “Do you watch TV in the evening?” and the answer is “Katsotko sinä televisiota illalla?”

The problem is that the previous chapter hasn’t really explained why ilta becomes illalla, why the word shifts shape, and why it takes -lla in the first place. I understood it because I’d already learned it elsewhere, through a Distance Finnish course and other resources. But if this were my very first Finnish book, I can easily imagine getting stuck there, staring at illalla and wondering what I’d missed.

So, What’s Next?

I’m still somewhere in the middle, struggling but not giving up. I know I need more consistency, better structure, and a way to stay motivated. I’ve got the tools, now I need the mindset.

If you’ve been on a similar language-learning journey, especially with Finnish, I’d love to hear what helped you. What kept you going when the grammar felt impossible? How did you build your discipline? Any resources I might be missing?

Thanks for reading this little (okay, maybe not-so-little) language rant. Writing it all down already helped untangle a bit of the chaos in my head.

Nähdään pian, maybe?