Welcome. Whether you landed last week or have been "meaning to learn Finnish" for three years, this page gives you two things: an honest idea of where you are, and a plan that fits a real life with a job and a bus to catch.
Step 1: take the level test
Twelve questions, roughly from A1 to B2. Do not guess wildly; choose "I don't know" by picking anything and moving on. Your score maps to a starting point below.
| Score | Your level | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Complete beginner (A0 to A1.1) | Verb type 1, greetings and basics, then the course from lesson 1 |
| 4 to 6 | Beginner (A1) | The cases, consonant gradation, verb types 2 to 4 |
| 7 to 9 | Elementary (A2) | Spoken Finnish, the verb tables with the spoken tab, and the YKI hub |
| 10 to 12 | Intermediate (B1) or above | YKI mock tests, writing tasks, easy news every day |
Step 2: pick your goal
Most people in Finland learn Finnish for one of four reasons. Each has a target level and a realistic timeline.
| Goal | Level needed | Typical time from zero, 30 min a day |
|---|---|---|
| Get by: shop, bus, small talk, daycare pickup | A1 to A2 | 3 to 6 months |
| Work in Finnish: most jobs outside tech and academia; nursing licence | B1 (Valvira requires B1 for nurses trained outside the EU) | 12 to 18 months |
| Permanent residence permit | B1, YKI intermediate grade 3, under the rules in force since 8 January 2026 | 12 to 18 months |
| Finnish citizenship | B1, YKI intermediate grade 3 or higher | 12 to 18 months |
The residence and citizenship rules changed recently. The exact requirements, the alternative proofs and the timeline are in Finnish for residence and citizenship.
Step 3: follow a plan
If you have 15 minutes a day
- One verb page: read the present and past, do the drill.
- Five words from the word list with the flashcards.
- One DailyFinnish video on the way to work.
If you have 30 minutes a day
Add one grammar page per week, read on Monday and revisited on Friday, and a guide from Living in Finland read with the Finnish words noted.
If you have an hour a day, or you are in integration training
Do the course lesson of the day, then write five sentences using its grammar point and read them aloud. On Saturdays, one YKI-style writing task. On Sundays, nothing; rest is part of the plan.
Step 4: know the traps
- Learning only written Finnish. You will understand Kela and not your colleagues. Use the spoken tab on every verb page from day one.
- Waiting until you are "good enough" to speak. Finns are patient with learners and will switch to English only if you do first. Say the sentence badly.
- Skipping consonant gradation. It is thirty minutes of work and it unlocks half the vocabulary.
- Ignoring the cases on official words. Kelassa, Kelasta, Kelaan. Read them on letters, say them out loud.
Step 5: come back tomorrow
The homepage shows today's name day, the next holiday and a word of the day. Bookmark it and make it your morning Finnish.