Finnish may not be among the most popular foreign languages to learn. It actually has somewhat of a bad reputation when it comes to learning it, as many people perceive it as difficult to learn. But in fact, if you overcome your bias and get to know Finnish, you will understand that it is just a somewhat different, but nevertheless a great language to learn after all. Here are some of the reasons that make Finnish worth learning:
Finnish is more widespread than you may think
More than 6 million people speak Finnish worldwide. Although it is not such a big number compared to, say, English or Chinese, the number is still significant.
In addition to being the official language of Finland, Finnish is also one of the official languages of the European Union. It is spoken in Sweden, Norway, Russia and the Republic of Karelia. There are also significant communities of Finnish speakers in the USA and Canada.
Finnish is not as hard as it may seem…
Finnish seems hard to many speakers of Indo-European languages because it is from another language family – Uralic languages. It is not inherently more difficult; it just has a very different logic – and often we perceive different logic as hard to master.
But in fact, it is not that hard. For instance, where in English you would learn a preposition, in Finnish you learn a case inflection. It’s not harder – it’s just different.
Also, Finnish has very regular spelling – no exceptions.
… but it is still challenging in a fun way
Speaking of different, Finnish is also a great choice if you like a challenge. Although it is not as hard and scary as some people believe, it does have a unique logic that will take some getting used to.
However, it is also a very interesting and beautiful language, so you will also have a lot of fun if you decide to take up this challenge.
Learning Finnish is more than just learning the language
Learning Finnish will give you a great insight into the world of Finnish culture that you just can’t get any other way. By learning how the language works, you’ll learn more about how the culture works.
It is a step to Finnish citizenship
Finland is a beautiful country with a stable economy and a high level of life. It has even been named the «Happiest country in the world».
If you are thinking of moving to another country, take Finland into consideration. And if you decide to move to Finland, learning Finnish will be one of the steps to citizenship.
It will help you get a better experience traveling in Finland
You do not need to move to a country to enjoy it at least for a short while. Traveling to and within Finland is truly a life-changing experience. Finland has cultural diversity, a rich and complex history, and vibrant natural beauty to boot. It truly is one of the cultural and natural treasures of the world and everyone should experience it at some point in their life. Learning Finnish will help you get a deeper and more authentic experience when traveling.
It will boost your brain – and personality
Learning any foreign language is good for your brain but learning such a beautiful and challenging language as Finnish may be even better. You will not only train your memory but also learn to see the world from a different perspective, which will help your personal growth.
Final thoughts
As you can see, Finnish is not as scary as people say. It is a logical, beautiful, and interesting language, which will provide you with some awesome opportunities in life. And this makes it very well worth learning.