L - LANGUAGE

If moving to Finland and being able to speak English makes the process somehow easier, it would be wrong to say that English is enough to always get by. As always, in some individual cases, English is enough. But for most of our participants, language is if not the most, one of the most important topics related to their job search.  Because your partner and his family speak Finnish, because of your kids, to make new friends, to have more options for work… Finnish language is present everywhere. When integrating, it may be the cause of a lot of stress and anxiety, for both the partners. How long will it take me to learn Finnish? Do I need Finnish to find a job? How can I help my partner learning Finnish?

Learning Finnish often becomes at least a preoccupation, and is very often lived as a constant challenge, present in every aspect of one’s life. 

• Where to start? Some practicalities. 
  • Most of our participants have started to learn Finnish as part of their integration plan. As per now (Spring 2020), TE-toimisto organizes integration courses, where you can receive intensive Finnish language courses, while receiving benefits. To enter these courses, you need to be a client of TE-toimisto, pass a placement test, and wait to be put in a suitable course. 
  • If you don’t plan on doing the integration course, or if you are waiting for a spot, you can register for courses. Their prices and schedules vary a lot, depending on where you live and your availabilities. You can look for courses online, and most of the them are registered on ilmonet.fi. 
  • Several NGOs also organize Finnish language courses. As for the private ones, the registrations are usually at specific dates. Make sure to have a clear view on your own timetable, priorities and schedule. 
  • You can practice your Finnish in different places. Some of the most common are conversation groups (kielikerho) and language cafes (kielikahvila). A lot of social events are also organized to meet Finnish speakers and practice your conversation skills. 
  • Online resources in Finnish are also available. We strongly recommend resources from YLE, that has a good compilation of practice exercises for beginners (especially news and articles). 
  • Having a hobby or volunteering are also efficient ways to learn and practice your language skills.

• Learning Finnish with your partner.
  • For our participants, who have a Finnish partner, the first resource for the language is at home. We have been giving workshops and support to intercultural couples, to help them navigate better the learning process together. Our main tips are​
    • Remember to communicate about your needs and limits.
    • Be aware of the good and bad emotions that are born from this learning process, for both the partners. 
    • Have specific moments and topics that you are going to use to speak Finnish. 
    • Don’t expect your partner to be a teacher / a student. Your role as partners is to build up a safe space, where trust allows you to speak Finnish without being judged or corrected. 
• Do I need Finnish to work? 
  • Language requirements depend on your sector, your field, your own expertise and your goals. Generally, we would say that in most of the cases, you need to speak some Finnish to enter the job market. When meeting with clients, we usually like to compare to their home country. “Could you do this job in another language than the official one in your country”?

If you want to read more about “fluent Finnish” and how much Finnish is necessary to be employed in Finland, read our article “Fluent Finnish required”.