Finding apps to learn Finnish can be a little bit tricky because it is not a widely spoken tongue outside of the borders of Finland. There are around 5.8 million native Finnish speakers, and the ones that don’t live in Finland can most commonly be found in Sweden and Norway. Interestingly, the Finnish language has less in common with the languages of Finland’s Nordic neighbors and is more closely related to languages like Hungarian and Estonian.
The Finnish language can be located on the Finno-Ugric branch of Uralic languages and is spoken as a second language by around 170,000 people in Estonia. However, minority populations that speak Finnish can be found around the globe in countries including the USA, Canada, Brazil, and Russia.
Why Learn Finnish
Finnish is one of the two official languages of Finland, the other being Swedish. There was a period of Swedish rule in the country that ended in 1809 when native speakers were considered second-class citizens and were unable to use their language for anything other than communicating with each other. In 1995, Finnish was added to the European Union’s list of official languages.
The very first known example of the Finnish language being written down is in a German travel diary dating back to the 13th Century. Language learners will appreciate the sentiment of the text which when translated into English reads: “I want to speak Finnish, [but] I am not able to.”
It is a shame that learning Finnish is considered such hard work because the language is widely considered one of the most beautiful on the planet. Indeed, “Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien used it as an inspiration for the language of the elves in his books and compared the first time he encountered the Finnish vocabulary as: “like discovering a complete wine-cellar filled with bottles of an amazing wine of a kind and flavor never tasted before. It quite intoxicated me…”
With this in mind, let’s take a look at a selection of language-learning apps that will provide the perfect Finnish course for you.
| App | Why Is It The Best? | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Pimsleur | Best Overall App | $14.95 per month per course, $19.95 per month for all courses, $119.95 one-time payment for a complete language course |
| Duolingo | Best Free App | Free with ads, $12.99 per month without ads |
| Mondly | Best Interactive App | $9.99 per month, free trial before you pay a subscription |
| FinnishPod101 | Best Audio App | $4.00 to $8.00 per month, 7-day free trial |
| LingQ | Best Listening App | Premium subscription $12.99 per month or Premium Plus subscription $39.99 per month |
| Glossika | Best Words And Phrases App | $16.99 per month for access to one language or $30.99 per month if you want access to the 60+ languages available |
| Drops | Best Vocabulary App | $13.00 per month |
| Ling | Best Gamification App | $8.99 per month |
Pimsleur
Pimsleur tops the list as the best of the bunch for those looking for a language learning app that will have you conversing with Finnish native speakers quickly. The idea is to get you used to listening to conversations in the native language and then practicing at your own pace. Since Pimsleur is an audio-based app, your pronunciation will be perfect from the get-go. The foreign language lessons are thankfully short, so you will not feel overwhelmed and the conversations deal with real-life situations so your new Finnish skills will be immediately useful for everyday situations.
Features
- As you progress, the lessons you are delivered are designed to build on what you have already learnt which should have you speaking proper sentences and not just basic vocabulary.
- Since it is an audio app that is designed to be hands-free, you will need nothing more than the ability to listen with concentration. This means you can learn even on the go.
- Bonus learning materials are available to complement the audio lessons, including games and flashcards.
Customer Review
“Pimsleur dances. It prompts, cajoles, teases, prods you into saying stuff. It is witty. It keeps you constantly on your toes, getting you to think how to use parts of one sentence you’ve learned in combination with parts of another sentence.” — Ellen Jovin
Pricing: $14.95 per month for Audio-Only, $19.95 per month for Premium (with bonus material), $20.95 per month for All Access.
Devices: iOS and Android
Duolingo
Since Duolingo is free to use, it is a great way of dipping into a new language like Finnish to find out if it is the language for you before handing over any cash. This does, however, mean that it is probably not the app for those who already have advanced conversational skills as it is more focused on getting you up to speed with basic Finnish words and phrases.
Features
- The Finnish lessons are deliberately geared to be short and entertaining so you will have fun when learning the basics. The app primarily concentrates on speaking and translation without getting bogged down with anything too complicated.
- You get complete access to the course, which is free.
- Plenty of games and the option to communicate with other learners to keep your motivation up.
Customer Review
★★★★★
“My daughter enjoys the app on her Ipad. She uses it to learn some languages. She especially likes using it while in the car and it keeps her busy and happy. It’s easy to use so she does not need my help.” — Violet S
Pricing: Free to use with ads. Super Duolingo is $12.99 per month with no ads.
Devices: iOS and Android
Mondly
Since Mondly focusses on interaction to help you improve your conversation and rapidly increase your basic-vocabulary that makes up most conversations, you will be speaking like a native in no time. The use of virtual reality and augmented reality is an innovative way to really bring the Finnish language to life. Mondly also allows you to choose which lessons you would like to skip to, so you will always be in control of the lessons most relevant to your needs.
Features
- Quick easy lessons and features that allow you to keep track of your progress give you a sense of progressing rapidly in your language learning.
- A good mix of traditional lessons and innovative gamification techniques means learning Finnish with Mondly is always interesting.
Customer Review
“Learning feels like playing a game, very addictive. Thank you Mondly.” — Dave B
Pricing: $9.99 per month, $47.99 per year. You can access the first few lessons of every course for free.
Devices: iOS and Android
FinnishPod101
Packed with almost the entire scope of conversation you can imagine between native Finnish speakers, FinnishPod101 is our top app for learning while listening. Each dialogue-based lesson is broken down in a way that makes the conversation easy to understand. This allows you a thorough grip on grammar and vocabulary. Since the conversations are recorded in the voice of native speakers, your pronunciation will be spot-on from your very first lesson.
Features
- Learn at a pace that suits you.
- A huge amount of conversational material at your disposal that is added to your learning module every week.
- Lots of bonus material allows you to learn about the Finnish people and the country’s culture as you learn the language.
Customer Review
“Love the way this app keeps track of what I have learned and also allows me to download lessons for when I’m not near wifi. Excellent instructors and the material is well planned and executed. Thanks.” – chowpod
Pricing: Between $4.00 to $8.00 per month. There are also Premium and Premium+ subscriptions available. 7-day free trial.
Devices: iOS and Android
LingQ
LingQ aims to have you learn Finnish through context rather than just rote learning grammar and lists of vocabulary. In addition to an extensive language-learning library, the app invites students to pick and choose content that is relevant to them such as YouTube videos, podcasts, songs, articles, and books. LingQ tracks how you are learning and uses an algorithm to offer content that is perfect for you.
Features
- Content provided from verified Finnish sources allows you to pick and choose what interests you.
- The ability to control and create your own lessons makes this a great app for Finnish language learners of all levels as you can progress with content that is as advanced as you need it to be.
Customer Review
“I really want to thank LingQ so much for transforming the way I learn languages. The LingQ system makes reading in your target language easy, efficient and effective. By highlighting words and phrases, your vocabulary and grammar knowledge improves naturally as you read” – Simon Haisell
Pricing: Premium subscription $12.99 per month or Premium Plus subscription $39.99 per month.
Devices: iOS and Android
Glossika
Glossika is a great tool for those looking for a balanced way of learning the core aspects of Finnish: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. A range of exercises and full sentence practice is then employed to ensure an easy soak-in. Glossika is an immersive way of learning Finnish without too many frills to distract you.
Features
- Every sentence you learn has been recorded by a Finnish speaker, allowing you to repeat along with them until you are perfect.
- Spaced repetition algorithm tracks your progress so you will always know what aspect of your Finnish learning needs to be worked on and what you have already begun to master.
Customer Review
“I am actually being very consistent and doing my reps every single day. The system feels very accessible and effortless.” – Janne
Pricing: $16.99 per month for access to one language or $30.99 per month if you want access to the 60+ languages available.
Devices: iOS and Android
Drops
Drops is not the app for those looking for a complete Finnish language learning course but is ideal for students wanting to rapidly increase their vocabulary. A variety of activities and a great use of words and pictures will have you logging in to learn more whenever you have a free moment. Since it is so much fun to use, Drops makes the list! It is a perfect foil to a more comprehensive Finnish language course.
Features
- Wide variety of ways to boost your new vocabulary with a fun user interface that will have you coming back to it, time and again.
- A great supplement to other language apps.
Customer Review
“I love this app! Absolutely love this app, it is a great way to learn a language by keeping it simple yet interactive at the same time”. – Drops User
Pricing: $13.00 per month
Devices: iOS and Android
Ling
Packed with games, puzzles, and quizzes, the Ling app is a language-learning tool geared towards those who want to have fun while getting to grips with Finnish. There is an AI chatbot that never gets tired of practicing pronunciation with you. And then, there are tools available to help students learn about Finnish culture while mastering everyday phrases, grammar, and vocabulary which will have you fluent in record-breaking time.
Features
- The Ling app’s mini-games will keep you hooked, while the amusing quizzes will allow you to keep track of your progress.
- Learn more about Finland through innumerable blogs written by professional writers.
Customer Review
★ 5.0
“This is an incredible app. I consider myself to be language-challenged (even in my native tongue, sometimes!), but the programmers have made this app fun, challenging, but possible. I don’t plan on mastering Thai by any means, but this will help me understand and speak better if I have my way and get to visit someday. Thank you Ling app developers for your time spent in creating this fun application.” — Megan Kizer
Pricing: Premium access to all modules starts at $8.99/month.
Devices: iOS and Android
Do You Agree With Our Pick Of The Best Apps To Learn Finnish?
We hope you can find something to help you learn Finnish from our choice of apps. If you would like to learn Finnish or another language, the Ling app has more than 60 to choose from. Why not download Ling from Google Play or the App Store today and check for yourself?
