Language Archives

Life & society Language

Guardians of the Finnish language

We visit the Finnish Language Office to see how new words enter Finnish – and how Finnish words travel the world.

Arts & culture Literature

Readers flock to New Finnish Grammar

Imagine our surprise when a novel called New Finnish Grammar appeared at the top of the Guardian bestseller list.

Life & society Education

The secret of Finnish schools

The principal of Helsinki’s German School tells us how to utilise the best sides of two school systems in one school.

Life & society Language

In search of Finland’s longest word

We scoured the forests for Finland’s longest word – and we may never understand the full implications of our discovery.

Life & society Language

Finnish made easy: Learn the local lingo

A teacher tells us the keys to picking up Finnish. Among them is a fearless, positive approach.

Life & society Language

Finnish phrases to put in your pocket

The free service Hei Finland, accessible on your mobile device or computer, provides you with Finnish expressions for social, business and emergency situations.

Life & society Language

Who’s afraid of Finnish?

Let’s have a word about the origins and idiosyncrasies of the Finnish language.

Life & society Language

The Finnish pain of the profane

Can the same word be profane and profound? We check up on Finnish swearing habits.

Language

Guardians of the Finnish language

Readers flock to New Finnish Grammar

The secret of Finnish schools

In search of Finland’s longest word

Finnish made easy: Learn the local lingo

Finnish phrases to put in your pocket

Who’s afraid of Finnish?

The Finnish pain of the profane

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