Finding Your Way in spoken Finnish

Real spoken Finnish for Finding Your Way, with the written form (kirjakieli) beside every line, word-by-word notes and audio on every sentence. Free to read.

Place endings: in / from / to

Finnish has no words for "in", "from" or "to" — the ending on the place word carries it. -ssa = in, -sta = from, -lle/-Vn = to.

kaupassa = in the shop (kauppa + -ssa)
kaupasta = from the shop (kauppa + -sta)
Mis rautatieasema on? = Where is the station? (missä → mis in speech)

Mis rautatieasema on?

Where is the railway station?

Written Finnish: Missä rautatieasema on?

mis: where - spoken form of 'missä'
rautatieasema: railway station - rautatie 'railway' + asema 'station'
on: is

Se on tuol.

It's over there.

Written Finnish: Se on tuolla.

se: it
on: is
tuol: over there - spoken form of 'tuolla'

Käänny vasemmalle.

Turn left.

Written Finnish: Käänny vasemmalle.

käänny: turn - imperative of 'kääntyä'
vasemmalle: to the left

Käänny oikeelle.

Turn right.

Written Finnish: Käänny oikealle.

käänny: turn - imperative of 'kääntyä'
oikeelle: to the right - spoken form of 'oikealle'

Mee suoraan eteenpäin.

Go straight ahead.

Written Finnish: Mene suoraan eteenpäin.

mee: go - spoken form of 'mene'
suoraan: straight
eteenpäin: forward / ahead

Onks se kaukana?

Is it far?

Written Finnish: Onko se kaukana?

onks: is? - spoken form of 'onko'
se: it
kaukana: far away

Ei oo, se on ihan lähellä.

No, it's really close.

Written Finnish: Ei ole, se on aivan lähellä.

ei: no / not
oo: be - spoken form of 'ole'; 'ei oo' = isn't
se: it
on: is
ihan: quite / really
lähellä: near, close by

Kiitti avusta!

Thanks for the help!

Written Finnish: Kiitos avusta!

kiitti: thanks - casual spoken 'kiitos'
avusta: for the help - apu 'help' + -sta

Spoken forms in this lesson

Carry on through the path

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