Finnish flashcards
for vocabulary learning

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The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) provides a standardized set of symbols to represent the sounds of spoken language. Below are the IPA symbols for Finnish pronunciation, with examples and descriptions, including the pronunciation of these sounds in English.

Finnish Vowels

• /ɑ/ - as in talo, pronounced /ˈtɑlo/ (like "a" in father /ˈfɑːðər/)
• /e/ - as in setä, pronounced /ˈsetæ/ (like "e" in bed /bɛd/)
• /i/ - as in mies, pronounced /ˈmies/ (like "ee" in see /siː/)
• /o/ - as in talo, pronounced /ˈtɑlo/ (like "o" in not /nɒt/)
• /u/ - as in kukka, pronounced /ˈkukːɑ/ (like "oo" in boot /buːt/)
• /y/ - as in kyllä, pronounced /ˈkylːæ/ (like "ü" in German müde /ˈmyːdə/)
• /æ/ - as in hätä, pronounced /ˈhætæ/ (similar to "a" in cat /kæt/)
• /ø/ - as in höyhen, pronounced /ˈhøyhen/ (like "eu" in French peur /pœʁ/)

Finnish Diphthongs

• /ɑi/ - as in kai, pronounced /kɑi/ (like "eye" in my /maɪ/)
• /ei/ - as in seinä, pronounced /ˈseinæ/ (like "ay" in say /seɪ/)
• /ou/ - as in koulu, pronounced /ˈkoulu/ (like "ow" in cow /kaʊ/)
• /ui/ - as in suin, pronounced /sui̯n/ (like "oi" in coin /kɔɪn/)
• /ie/ - as in tien, pronounced /tien/ (like "ye" in yes /jes/)
• /yø/ - as in työ, pronounced /tyø/ (a glide from /y/ to /ø/ in one syllable, not the single vowel in French fleur)

Finnish Consonants

• /p/ - as in paita, pronounced /ˈpɑitɑ/ (like "p" in pen /pɛn/)
• /b/ - as in bussi, pronounced /ˈbusːi/ (like "b" in bat /bæt/)
• /t/ - as in talo, pronounced /ˈtɑlo/ (like "t" in top /tɒp/)
• /d/ - as in delfiini, pronounced /ˈdelfiːni/ (like "d" in dog /dɒɡ/)
• /k/ - as in kissa, pronounced /ˈkisːɑ/ (like "k" in cat /kæt/)
• /ɡ/ - as in golf, pronounced /ɡolf/ (like "g" in go /ɡoʊ/)
• /f/ - as in fakta, pronounced /ˈfɑktɑ/ (like "f" in fun /fʌn/)
• /v/ - as in vesi, pronounced /ˈvesi/ (like "v" in voice /vɔɪs/)
• /s/ - as in sana, pronounced /ˈsɑnɑ/ (like "s" in see /siː/)
• /s/ - as in seepra, pronounced /ˈseːprɑ/ (like s in see)
• /ʃ/ - as in shakki, pronounced /ˈʃɑkːi/ (like "sh" in shoe /ʃuː/)
• /t͡ʃ/ - as in tšekki, pronounced /ˈt͡ʃekːi/ (like "ch" in chess /tʃɛs/)
• /ŋ/ - as in rengas, pronounced /ˈreŋːɑs/ (like "ng" in sing /sɪŋ/)
• /h/ - as in hauska, pronounced /ˈhɑuskɑ/ (like "h" in hat /hæt/)
• /l/ - as in lumi, pronounced /ˈlumi/ (like "l" in leaf /liːf/)
• /r/ - as in ranta, pronounced /ˈrɑntɑ/ (like "r" in carrot /ˈkærət/, but rolled)
• /m/ - as in mies, pronounced /ˈmies/ (like "m" in man /mæn/)
• /n/ - as in nainen, pronounced /ˈnɑinɛn/ (like "n" in net /nɛt/)
• /j/ - as in jää, pronounced /jæː/ (like "y" in yes /jɛs/)

Unique Features of Finnish Pronunciation

While Finnish pronunciation shares similarities with other Uralic languages, it also has unique features that are important for learners to understand.

• Vowel Harmony: Finnish vowel harmony distinguishes front vowels ä, ö, y from back vowels a, o, u. The neutral vowels e and i can occur with either group. Within a simple word, front and back vowels generally do not mix; compounds and some loanwords are exceptions.
• Consonant Gradation: Many Finnish words undergo a process where consonants alternate between strong and weak forms in different grammatical contexts, such as kukka (flower, nominative) vs. kukan (flower, genitive).
• Double Letters: Double vowel and consonant letters mark longer sounds in Finnish; they do not move the word stress, e.g., tuli (fire) vs. tuuli (wind).
• Phonemic Length: Finnish distinguishes between short and long vowels and consonants, which can change the meaning of a word, such as muta (mud) vs. mutta (but).
• Rolling "r": The Finnish /r/ is made with the tongue tip, as a trill or a brief tap. It differs from the approximant r common in English; a long, sustained trill is not required in every context.