eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'howwidelyspoken_com-box-4','ezslot_10',110,'0','0'])); Even from these basic phrases you already see some of the complexity in the Finnish language, since many words are pronounced very differently to how they appear on screen. Just cuz I grew up around it. The two main official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. But how widely spoken is English there? We have, though, a small population (a few thousand) in the north of Finland, Lapland and they speak Sami, a … [4] Swedish is a North Germanic language, closely related to Norwegian and Danish. Finnish does not have to be a difficult language. Outside these areas there are some towns with significant Swedish-speaking minorities not reaching the criteria. English as a mandatory school subject starts at the 3rd grade, when the kids are ~8-9 years old. Additionally, Finnic languages belong to the Uralic language family. The Finnic languages belong to the Uralic language family, so Finnish is distantly related to languages as diverse as Hungarian (an Ugric language) and Nenets (a Samoyedic language) in Siberia. Finns tends to be shy and economical with words, but very friendly and loyal once you get to know them. Believing that you're the only one who doesn't speak the language is what makes it so embarrassing," explains Pesu. Perhaps you could learn to read a few important words. I recently returned from a trip that included Helsinki, the capital. Media related to Languages of Finland at Wikimedia Commons, European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Names of places in Finland in Finnish and in Swedish, Europeans and their languages, situationen 2012, "Decrease in the number of persons speaking national languages as their native language accelerated", Change in the regulation by the president of Finland about European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, 68/2009 27.11.2009, http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/fi/StatFin/StatFin__vrm__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11rl.px/?rxid=726cd24d-d0f1-416a-8eec-7ce9b82fd5a4, Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Languages_of_Finland&oldid=998858100, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 7 January 2021, at 09:56. If you still find yourself unable to understand what someone is saying, using this phrase will usually cause a Finnish speaker to switch to English for your benefit. English has been a part of the Finnish-school curriculum for a long time, so most Finns will be able to hold a conversation with an English speaker. In Finland, approximately 4.9 million people speak Finnish as theirfirst language, and more than 0.5 million people speak it as a second language.Finnish is also spoken in Sweden, Norway, Eastern Karelia and Ingria (inRussia), and even in the USA and Australia. About six percent of Finns have the Swedish language as their mother tongue. If you are travelling to Finland and do not speak Finnish, you'll have no problems getting help if you need it in English. The Finnish find that they are rather skilled in foreign languages, 77% in comparison with the European average of 44%. I read in another response someone claiming Finns are the worse English speakers in Europe. Just under three quarters of Finns report being able to speak English, many of them fluently, which is a very high proportion in itself and compares favorably to most other countries outside of … How Widely Spoken is English in Gibraltar? The subtitles can encourage and make it easier to learn languages, and the respondents of the Nordic countries appreciate the subtitles (93% of the Finns), so this would mean that they are used to hear different languages on TV. The main native language is Finnish, with Swedish and the Sami language as other official languages. I found that younger people in Sweden spoke native-level English while the older generation might have an accent but they do speak it excellently. They are usually very helpful and friendly when approached, but generally only talk when they have something to say, not because they have to say something.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'howwidelyspoken_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',109,'0','0'])); There is the old joke about the two Finns in the bar that sums up this mentality well. As well as Finnish and Swedish, and a number of other languages. 15 June 2012. But I probably could learn the basics in about a year. Also, … A more recent estimate is that there are 5000 first language speakers in Finland but the size of the language community is 30,000.[8]. You will have no problems getting by with English in Finland with anyone under the age of 60, whether in the capital Helsinki or anywhere else in the country. Can tourists from America, the UK... Malta is a picturesque and scenic small Island off the south coast of Italy, with one of the best climates in all of Europe and very good tourist attractions and cuisine. But honestly, most Finns(the generations up to 40yrs old) speak practicly flawless English, they’re just too timid and shy about it.. The Finnish language is consistently ranked as one of the most difficult to learn, due to complex verb and sentence structure which can take many years to master. Mostly everyone speaks english in the Scandinavian countries. The two main official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. Today it is one of the two main official languages, with a position equal to Finnish in most legislation, though the working language in most governmental bodies is Finnish. When you speak the language, you will become acclimatised more easily and will be more at home in Finland. Posted on January 9, 2013 by US Expat. Finland has a population of just under 5.5 million people, and almost 70% of its adult population speak high-level English. Finland ranks sixth after neighbouring Nordic countries Sweden, Denmark and Norway, as well as Singapore. The Finns are also not very emotive or expressive as some other cultures are. fourth in the world for English speaking proficiency, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDt1ODXXyhM, Sarcastic Kimi talks about willing to race | F1 Singapore GP 2018 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDt1ODXXyhM), consistently ranked as one of the most difficult to learn, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzCeNjRd2Bk, Learn To Speak Finnish In 4 Minutes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzCeNjRd2Bk), introductory Finnish audiobook course from Pimsleur. Note that there isn’t really a word for “please” in the Finnish language, so you don’t have to worry about being seen as rude so much as in other countries. Like most languages, you can learn to speak Finnish with time, effort, and dedication. Swedish is the main language of 5.2% of the population in 2019[3] (92.4% in the Åland autonomous province), down from 14% at the beginning of the 20th century. The main language in Australia is English, but there are other cultures such as French, Russian, German and Italian. 4) Denmark . As we approach the grand … "For years now, young people in Finland have spoken good English. The Russian language is the third most spoken native language in Finland (1.5%). Runeberg is considered Finland's national poet and wrote the national anthem, "Vårt land", which was only later translated to Finnish. link to How Widely Spoken is English in Malta? A successfully completed language test is a prerequisite for governmental offices where a university degree is required. That said, Finns will always help you out if asked. One of them starts asking about the other’s life, to which to second Finn simply responds “Are you here to talk or are you here to drink?”. They also like a drink or two! Kiitos can be used at the end of sentences but often isn’t. The Finnish spoken in Finlandcomprises several dialects. That Finns are amongst the best English speakers in Europe, apart from the English of course. With approximately 4,868,751 speakers which translate to 88.88% of Finland's population, the Finnish language is widely spoken by the majority in the country. Most Finns speak Finnish as their mother tongue. Here are some of the more common ones you might need. Road signs are in both Finnish and Swedish. Their competency tends not to be limited to just a few basic words, as it can be in other countries. Like in reality I know a few words. English is quite widely spoken in Finland, though not quite as prevalent as the other Scandinavian countries. Finns usually speak unhurriedly, even in their mother tongue (the pace of newsreading on Finnish TV is a source of amusement for many foreigners), and although many Finns are competent in several foreign languages, they may be wary of the speed at which these languages are spoken. Continue browsing or click to consent. Finnish belongs to the Uralic languagegroup. But just how widely spoken... At How Widely Spoken we explore the prevalence of English and other languages all around the world. That… After the war, immigrant Karelians were settled all over Finland. Learning fluent Finnish can take years. [2] It is a Finnic language closely related to Estonian and less closely to the Sami languages. Rather Scandinavians tend to be able to hold fluent and intelligent conversations in English without too many problems. Karelian was recognized in a regulation by the President in November 2009, in accordance with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. And if you say a few words in finnish and then ask to speak in English, how many people will be able to speak to you in English? I want you travellers to know that this can't be further from the truth. But what does it really mean to be skilled? Don't let it stop you from asking anyone questions in English … The mentality there tends to be no nonsense – you ask for something, you get it. [10] The Russian language has no official status in Finland, though historically it served as the third co-official language with Finnish and Swedish for a relatively brief period between 1900 and 1917. You don’t need to know any Finnish as an international student in Finland. There are six major linguistic categories spoken in Africa. In 2001 the Karelian Language Society estimated that the language is understood by 11,000–12,000 people in Finland, most of whom are elderly. Do’s and don’ts in Finland Finns may appear shy and serious, but their humor is dry and sarcastic, and they are opinionated and competitive. Finland places among the top four countries in the world when it comes to the fluency of English. However, even 70% prevalence is still plenty enough for English speaking tourists to get by fine visiting Finland. 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