Learn to use numbers, talk about days and months, and ask simple questions in everyday life in Finland. Allow about 30–45 minutes, or study one lesson at a time. You can return and repeat any activity.
Back to Everyday Finnish for Beginners
Module 2 contents
Lesson 1 — Numbers
Lesson 2 — Days and months
Lesson 3 — Simple questions and answers
Mini Review Quiz
Read the examples, try the practice activity, then click each self-check question to reveal its answer. Say the Finnish examples aloud. These are practice questions: this draft does not provide automatic scoring or certificates.
Lesson 1 — Numbers
Numbers help you understand prices, give a phone number and count everyday items. Start with 0–10. Practise slowly, then combine the numbers into short phrases.
0–10: nolla (0), yksi (1), kaksi (2), kolme (3), neljä (4), viisi (5), kuusi (6), seitsemän (7), kahdeksan (8), yhdeksän (9), kymmenen (10).
Building bigger numbers: yksitoista = 11; kaksitoista = 12; kaksikymmentä = 20; kaksikymmentäyksi = 21; kolmekymmentä = 30; sata = 100. For 11–19, add -toista to the number from 1–9. For 20–90, combine the number from 2–9 with kymmentä.
Useful examples
Se maksaa viisi euroa. — It costs five euros.
Kuinka paljon tämä maksaa? — How much does this cost?
Minun puhelinnumeroni on… — My phone number is…
Read a phone number one digit at a time: 0 4 0 → nolla, neljä, nolla.
Pronunciation tip: Finnish stress is on the first syllable. Say yksi, kaksi and kolme slowly; keep ä distinct from a. Reuse the alphabet and vowel practice from Module 1 — Finnish alphabet & pronunciation if you need a reminder.
Practice: Count five objects near you. Say 3, 8, 12 and 21 in Finnish. Then practise the imaginary phone number 0 4 0 1 2 3; you do not need to share your real number. Finally, say “It costs five euros” aloud.
Self-check 1: What are 3 and 8 in Finnish?
3 = kolme. 8 = kahdeksan.
Self-check 2: What number is kaksikymmentäyksi?
21. Kaksikymmentä is 20, and yksi is 1.
Self-check 3: How do you say “It costs five euros”?
Se maksaa viisi euroa.
Ready to continue? Next lesson — Days and months · Back to Everyday Finnish for Beginners
Lesson 2 — Days and months
Days and months help you understand appointments and make simple plans. Finnish writes their names with a lowercase letter. Learn the names first; then practise a few useful sentences.
Days:
maanantai — Monday
tiistai — Tuesday
keskiviikko — Wednesday
torstai — Thursday
perjantai — Friday
lauantai — Saturday
sunnuntai — Sunday
Months:
tammikuu — January
helmikuu — February
maaliskuu — March
huhtikuu — April
toukokuu — May
kesäkuu — June
heinäkuu — July
elokuu — August
syyskuu — September
lokakuu — October
marraskuu — November
joulukuu — December
Useful examples
Tänään on maanantai. — Today is Monday.
Huomenna on tiistai. — Tomorrow is Tuesday.
Minulla on aika maanantaina. — I have an appointment on Monday.
Nyt on lokakuu. — It is October now.
Minulla on aika lokakuussa. — I have an appointment in October.
Notice the changed endings in maanantaina (on Monday) and lokakuussa (in October). Learn these as useful phrases for now.
Pronunciation practice: Double letters are longer. Hold the uu in kuu a little longer, and notice the double kk in keskiviikko. Repeat slowly before speeding up.
Practice: Look at a calendar. Say today’s day and the current month in Finnish. Write an imaginary appointment using “Minulla on aika maanantaina.” Then practise saying the seven days in order.
Self-check 1: Which day is perjantai?
Friday.
Self-check 2: How do you say “Tomorrow is Tuesday”?
Huomenna on tiistai.
Self-check 3: What does “Minulla on aika lokakuussa” mean?
I have an appointment in October.
Previous lesson — Numbers · Next lesson — Simple questions and answers · Back to Everyday Finnish for Beginners
Lesson 3 — Simple questions and answers
You can have a useful short conversation with just a few questions. Missä means “where”, milloin means “when”, and mitä often means “what”. You do not need to understand every word to ask for help.
Useful examples
Mitä kuuluu? — How are you?
Hyvää, kiitos. — Fine, thank you.
Puhutko englantia? — Do you speak English?
Kyllä. — Yes.
En puhu englantia. — I do not speak English.
Missä on kauppa? — Where is the shop?
Tuolla. — Over there.
Milloin? — When?
Maanantaina. — On Monday.
En ymmärrä. — I do not understand.
Voisitko toistaa? — Could you repeat?
Listening support: InfoFinland — important Finnish phrases and pronunciation video (opens in a new tab). Listen for “Puhutko englantia?”, “Missä on kauppa?” and the request to repeat. Pause and repeat one phrase at a time, then return here to practise.
Practice: Read this conversation aloud, then swap roles with a partner or answer yourself:
A: Puhutko englantia? — Do you speak English?
B: Kyllä. — Yes.
A: Missä on kauppa? — Where is the shop?
B: Tuolla. — Over there.
If you do not understand, practise “En ymmärrä. Voisitko toistaa?”
Self-check 1: How do you ask “Do you speak English”?
Puhutko englantia?
Self-check 2: What does “Missä on kauppa?” mean?
Where is the shop?
Self-check 3: What can you say when you need someone to repeat?
En ymmärrä. Voisitko toistaa? — I do not understand. Could you repeat?
Previous lesson — Days and months · Next — Mini Review Quiz · Back to Everyday Finnish for Beginners
Mini Review Quiz
Try these without looking back first. Say or write your answer, then click the question to reveal a suggested answer. This is a self-check, with no automatic score. Repeat any lesson you would like to practise.
Return to Lesson 3 — Simple questions and answers · Back to Everyday Finnish for Beginners
Review 1: Say 5, 12 and 21 in Finnish. Then say “It costs five euros”.
Viisi, kaksitoista, kaksikymmentäyksi. Se maksaa viisi euroa.
Review 2: Translate “Today is Monday” and “I have an appointment in October”.
Tänään on maanantai. Minulla on aika lokakuussa.
Review 3: You need help finding a shop. Ask where it is, then politely ask the person to repeat.
Missä on kauppa? Voisitko toistaa? You can also say “En ymmärrä” if you do not understand.
What next? Practise one short conversation and one appointment phrase again. When you feel ready, Back to Everyday Finnish for Beginners. Continue to Module 3 — Shopping & Money.