Finnish Sounds and Difficult Pronunciations

Explore äänet (sounds) and ääntämiset (pronunciations) in Finnish

Learning Finnish involves getting used to some unique sounds and pronunciation rules that give the language its distinct quality. Finnish is highly phonetic, so once you know how each letter sounds, you can pronounce nearly any word accurately. Let’s go through a few key Finnish sounds and some tricky pronunciations.

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Essential Finnish Sounds

1. The Finnish “R”
   Finnish uses a rolled "R" (like in Spanish or Italian), which can be a bit tricky. This sound is made by vibrating the tip of your tongue near the roof of your mouth. Try saying rakastaa (to love) or rauta (iron).

2. Long vs. Short Vowels and Consonants
   Finnish distinguishes between short and long vowels and consonants. For example:

   • tuli (fire) vs. tuuli (wind) – note the double “u” for a longer sound.

   • mato (worm) vs. matto (carpet) – here, the double “t” creates a longer consonant sound.

   In Finnish, the length of a sound can change a word’s meaning entirely, so pay close attention to double letters!

3. Vowel Sounds Unique to Finnish
   Finnish has three vowels that English doesn’t use: Ä, Ö, and Y. Each has a distinct pronunciation:

   • Ä sounds like the "a" in cat.

   • Ö sounds similar to the “u” in fur.

   • Y is pronounced like the French “u” in lune or German “ü.”

   These vowels are essential for correct pronunciation and vowel harmony in Finnish.

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Tricky Pronunciations

1. The “H” Sound
   In Finnish, H is usually pronounced as a soft, breathy sound. In some dialects, it may sound almost silent in certain positions, like at the end of words. Try huhu (rumor) or häiriö (disturbance) to practice.

2. The “J” Sound
   In Finnish, J is pronounced like the English “y” in yes. For example, joulu (Christmas) sounds like “yoh-loo,” and juusto (cheese) sounds like “yoos-toh.”

3. Double Consonants and Stress
   Finnish is pronounced with even stress on every syllable, so there’s no strong emphasis on any part of the word. For instance, Suomi (Finland) is pronounced with equal emphasis on both syllables: "soo-o-mee," not “SOO-mee.”

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Hyvää harjoittelua! (Happy practicing!)

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