Language/Finnish/Vocabulary/Count-to-10

Finnish Vocabulary - Count to 10

Hi Finnish learners! 😊

In this lesson, we will be learning how to count from one to ten in Finnish. Knowing how to count in a foreign language is always useful, and it's often one of the very first things we learn. But before we dive into the numbers, let's have a little cultural moment!

Finland is a country in Northern Europe and is known for its stunning natural beauty, long summers, and equally long winters. Finland is home to the Northern Lights, Lapland's Santa Claus Village, and the sauna, which is a big part of Finnish culture. Finland has two national languages, Finnish and Swedish, but Finnish is the most widely spoken language in the country, with almost 90% of the population speaking it as their first language.

In Finland, punctuality is important, and being even a few minutes late is considered a sign of disrespect. Finns are also known for their honesty and trustworthiness, so you can rely on them to keep their promises. Finnish people usually don't engage in small talk or unnecessary socializing, but they are friendly and approachable when they need to be.

Now that we have a little bit of background on Finnish culture, let's get started with counting!

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Family, Weather, Seasons & Adverbs in Finnish.

Cardinal numbers

Below is a table showing the numbers one to ten in Finnish, along with their pronunciation and English translation:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
yksi	"YEW-ski"	one
kaksi	"KAK-si"	two
kolme	"KOL-me"	three
neljä	"NEL-yuh"	four
viisi	"VI-ih-si"	five
kuusi	"KUW-si"	six
seitsemän	"SAY-tseh-mahn"	seven
kahdeksan	"KAH-dek-san"	eight
yhdeksän	"YHD-ek-sahn"	nine
kymmenen	"KUUM-meh-nen"	ten

Now, let's put these numbers to use in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Kuinka monta omenaa sinulla on? ("KWINK-a MON-tah OH-meh-naa sin-OO-la own?") (How many apples do you have?)
• Person 2: Minulla on kolme omenaa. ("MEE-nOO-la own KOL-meh OH-meh-naa") (I have three apples.)
• Person 1: Entä sinulla, kuinka monta paitaa sinulla on? ("EN-tah sin-OO-la, KWINK-a MON-tah PAI-taa sin-OO-la own?") (And how many shirts do you have?)
• Person 2: Minulla on seitsemän paitaa. ("MEE-nOO-la own SAY-tseh-mahn PAI-taa") (I have seven shirts.)

That was easy, right? Now, let's move on to some interesting facts about Finnish language and culture.

Interesting facts

- Finnish is part of the Finno-Ugric language family, which means it is related to Estonian, Hungarian, and several other languages spoken in the Ural region. - Finnish is known for its complex grammar and numerous cases that can be challenging for learners. But don't worry, with practice, you can master it! - Finland has been named the happiest country in the world several times and is known for its high standard of living, excellent education system, and innovative technology. - Finland is a country of extremes, with over 3 million saunas and one of the highest coffee consumption rates in the world.

Now, let's put our newfound knowledge to the test! How about trying to count to ten in Finnish on your own? If you need help, be sure to check out the Polyglot Club and their Finnish language section for more resources. Or, take a look at the Finnish Vocabulary page for more useful words and phrases.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Finland
• Finnish language
• Sauna
• Finno-Ugric languages

Other Lessons

• Essential Phrases in Finnish
• Food
• Family
• Camping
• Feelings and Emotions
• Education
• Months of the Year
• Animal
• Dinner Table
• Seasons