Real spoken Finnish for Don't Switch to English!, with the written form (kirjakieli) beside every line, word-by-word notes and audio on every sentence. Free to read.
Keeping it in Finnish: älä vaihda englantiin
The real boss fight of learning Finnish: the moment you hesitate, a friendly Finn switches to English. They mean well, so push back politely. Give a reason ("mä haluun opetella"), not only a request. Keep answering in Finnish after they switch, because most people switch back. And fill the pause out loud with "tota" or "tuota noin" instead of going quiet, since silence is the cue they read. Pick your moment too: a cashier with a queue is not it, someone you see often is.
Voidaanks puhuu suomee? Mä haluun opetella. = Can we speak Finnish? I want to learn.
Älä vaihda englantiin, mä yritän! = Don't switch to English, I'm trying! (a request out loud, and "älä vielä vaihda" softens it)
Suomi käy. = Finnish is fine by me. (two words, and no imperative in sight)
Voidaanks puhuu suomee?
Can we speak Finnish?
Written Finnish: Voidaanko puhua suomea?
voidaanks
can we - spoken 'voidaanko'
puhuu
speak - spoken 'puhua'
suomee
Finnish - spoken 'suomea'
Mä opettelen suomee.
I'm learning Finnish.
Written Finnish: Minä opettelen suomea.
mä
I
opettelen
am learning - practicing a skill
suomee
Finnish - spoken 'suomea'
Älä vaihda englantiin, mä yritän!
Don't switch to English, I'm trying!
Written Finnish: Älä vaihda englantiin, minä yritän!
älä
don't - the negative command
vaihda
switch
englantiin
to English - the -iin says 'into'
mä
I
yritän
am trying
Sano viel kerran, vähän hitaammin.
Say it once more, a bit slower.
Written Finnish: Sano vielä kerran, vähän hitaammin.
sano
say - a friendly command
viel
still / once more - spoken 'vielä'
kerran
one time
vähän
a bit
hitaammin
more slowly - from 'hitaasti'
Mitä toi tarkottaa?
What does that mean?
Written Finnish: Mitä tuo tarkoittaa?
mitä
what
toi
that - spoken 'tuo'
tarkottaa
means - spoken 'tarkoittaa'
Miten se sanotaan suomeks?
How do you say it in Finnish?
Written Finnish: Miten se sanotaan suomeksi?
miten
how
se
it
sanotaan
is said - the generic passive
suomeks
in Finnish - spoken 'suomeksi'
Puhu vaan suomee, kyl mä pärjään.
Just speak Finnish, I'll manage.
Written Finnish: Puhu vain suomea, kyllä minä pärjään.
puhu
speak - a friendly command
vaan
just - spoken 'vain'
suomee
Finnish - spoken 'suomea'
kyl
surely - spoken 'kyllä', here reassuring
mä
I
pärjään
manage / get by
Kiitti ku puhuit mulle suomee!
Thanks for speaking Finnish with me!
Written Finnish: Kiitos kun puhuit minulle suomea!
kiitti
thanks - casual 'kiitos'
ku
that / for - spoken 'kun'
puhuit
you spoke
mulle
to me - spoken 'minulle'
suomee
Finnish - spoken 'suomea'
Voidaanks puhuu suomee? Mä haluun opetella.
Can we speak Finnish? I want to learn.
Written Finnish: Voidaanko puhua suomea? Minä haluan opetella.
voidaanks
can we - spoken 'voidaanko'
puhuu
speak - spoken 'puhua'
suomee
Finnish - spoken 'suomea'
mä
I
haluun
want - spoken 'haluan'
opetella
to learn / to practise it
Sori, en osaa englantia.
Sorry, I don't speak English.
Written Finnish: Anteeksi, en osaa englantia.
sori
sorry - casual, borrowed from English
en
I don't
osaa
know how to / can
englantia
English - the partitive after a negative
Tuota noin...
Umm... (while you find the word)
Written Finnish: Tuota noin...
tuota
well / umm - shortened to 'tota' in speech
noin
like that - here just part of the filler
Suomi käy.
Finnish is fine by me.
Written Finnish: Suomi käy.
suomi
Finnish - the language
käy
works / suits me - from 'käydä', the standard way to accept an option