Finnish is one of Finland's two official languages, alongside Swedish, and about 4.7 million people in Finland speak it as their first language. It belongs to the Uralic language family and has fifteen grammatical cases, so most Finnish words will look new to you. Babbel, Busuu, and Rosetta Stone do not offer Finnish courses, and few apps give you real Finnish to read and listen to once the basics are in place.
Here are the apps and services that teach Finnish, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want Finnish built around their own lives. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Finnish to read about music, food, family, and other things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum does not replace real Finnish voices. For recorded speakers, Pimsleur and Mango are the better fit. For a fixed course, try Duolingo or Ling, and for conversation, try the apps in Learn With People.
- Read Finnish lessons for free.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Finnish about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Lesson audio uses AI voices, not recordings of Finnish speakers.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Follow a Finnish Course
If you want someone to choose what comes next, start here. These apps give you an ordered path through Finnish words and sentences.
Duolingo
Duolingo has a Finnish course for English speakers. It gives you a first look at Finnish words and sounds. Many learners add a second resource once the lessons feel easy.
- A free course with lessons that adjust to your level.
- Lessons are short, so you can fit one in whenever you have a few minutes.
MobileWeb
Ling
Ling teaches Finnish with games, puzzles, and quizzes. You can save words to Favorites to look at again later.
- Voice games and speaking exercises with native audio.
- Dialog practice for real conversations, such as ordering coffee or asking for directions.
- Flashcards
Mobile
Mango Languages
Mango Languages starts each Finnish lesson with a conversation between native speakers and builds out from it. Check your local library first, since many libraries include Mango.
- Every word is spoken by native Finnish speakers, and a voice comparison tool lets you check your own pronunciation.
- Grammar notes and culture notes sit alongside the conversations.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Practice Speaking and Listening
Pimsleur
Pimsleur suits learners who want to say Finnish out loud from the first lesson. You hear a prompt, answer aloud, and then hear the answer.
- 30 audio lessons of about 30 minutes each, where you answer out loud.
- Voice Coach gives AI feedback on your pronunciation.
MobileWeb
Glossika
Glossika teaches Finnish through thousands of sentences that you hear and say. You can take a placement test or start from zero.
- Finnish sentences with audio from native speakers.
- Levels from A1 to C1.
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Drops
Drops teaches Finnish words in short, illustrated games. It works with translators and native speakers to make its Finnish lessons.
- More than 2,000 Finnish words, each shown with a picture.
- Short games help each new word stick.
- It focuses on words, so Finnish grammar needs another resource.
Mobile
Clozemaster
Clozemaster shows each Finnish word inside a sentence, so you meet the same word with different case endings. You can pick the answer from choices or type it.
- Fill in the missing Finnish word in real sentences.
- Sentences come back for review when you are about to forget them.
MobileWeb
uTalk
uTalk teaches words through games and audio, and it reviews the words you find hardest. It works online and offline on phones, tablets, and computers.
- More than 2,500 everyday words and phrases across more than 60 topics.
- Recorded by real Finnish speakers.
MobileWeb
Learn With People
Choose a tutor if you want teaching and correction. Choose a language exchange if you want a practice partner and are happy to help with English in return.
italki
italki lists both professional teachers and community tutors for Finnish. Read profiles to find one who fits your level and goals.
- Choose a Finnish tutor and book lessons around your schedule.
- Some tutors teach Finnish for the workplace.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply lists 62 Finnish tutors, including some who prepare learners for the YKI language test.
- Compare tutors by profile and rating.
- Filter for adult learners or native Finnish speakers.
MobileWeb
HelloTalk
HelloTalk connects you with Finnish speakers who want to practice your language in return. You can also share posts and get corrections from the community.
- Chat with Finnish speakers by text, voice, and video.
- Join live voice rooms and watch live streams with Finnish speakers and teachers.
Mobile
Tandem
Tandem lists Finnish among its languages, and you can look for Finnish speakers in Finnish cities. Agree with your partner on how to split time between your two languages.
- Members in Helsinki, Tampere, Espoo, and Turku who want to practice languages.
- Practice listening and pronunciation with native speakers.
- It can take a few tries to find a partner who matches your interests and time.
MobileWeb
Read, Watch, and Listen to Finnish
Few apps give you Finnish to read and listen to beyond lessons. Bubblegum's news and stories are one way. Yle, Finland's public broadcaster, has Yle Uutiset selkosuomeksi, a news broadcast in easy Finnish that is spoken slowly for people learning the language, and Yle Areena has more programs in easy Finnish. Yle's Opi suomea page has short videos and exercises for learners, from the Finnish alphabet to practice for the YKI language test. For looking up words, Kotus, the Institute for the Languages of Finland, lists its Finnish dictionaries online.
Learn Finnish in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| Duolingo | 32 | Full list |
| Ling | 67 | Full list |
| Mango Languages | 2 | Full list |
| Pimsleur | 3 | Full list |
| Glossika | 2 | Full list |
| Drops | 16 | Full list |
| Clozemaster | 37 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| HelloTalk | 16 | Full list |
| Tandem | 14 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (11)
- Memrise word listsFinnish word lists made by other learners, which you can study in the Memrise app.
- LingQFinnish lessons with audio and text from real content such as EasyFinnish and Finnished, with spaced review for the words you save. You can also import your own content.
- ReadlangRead Finnish articles, books, and web pages, click any word to see its translation, and review your saved words as flashcards. It has a public library of Finnish texts.
- BeelinguappBilingual Finnish stories with Finnish and your own language side by side, read aloud by native Finnish speakers.
- Language ReactorAdds two-language subtitles, a pop-up dictionary, and playback controls to Netflix and YouTube videos. Check that a show has Finnish subtitles before you start.
- FinnishPod101Audio and video lessons from beginner to advanced, with lesson notes, translations, and quizzes. New free lessons come out every week.
- WordDiveA Finnish-made course with material written by Finnish language teachers and recorded by native speakers, with courses from beginner to advanced.
- KieloLearn Finnish with real news, practical conversations, and quizzes, with AI help. It is new and growing.
- FabuloInteractive quizzes, easy Finnish news at levels from A1 to C2, and AI tutor chats for practicing conversation. It is new and growing.
- Emme FinnishUses visual association techniques to help you remember Finnish.
- Finnish for foreigners (University of Helsinki Open University)University courses in Finnish from beginner to intermediate levels, A1.1 to B2.1.
Common Questions
Which Finnish app should a beginner choose?
Start with Duolingo or Ling for a step-by-step course, or Mango if your library offers it. Add Pimsleur if you want to speak from the start. Bubblegum suits learners who want lessons around their own interests. Finnish uses the Latin alphabet, so you do not need to learn a new script first.
Can I learn Finnish for free?
Yes. Duolingo's Finnish course is free, and many libraries give free access to Mango. Yle's learner page and easy Finnish news are free to use, and Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. You can read the free lesson library and ask Poppy for one new custom lesson each day on iPhone and Android. Become a Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons and to support our team.
Sources
- Statistics Finland: Number of foreign-language speakers exceeded 600,000 during 2024
- Kotus: Languages of Finland and language policy
- Duolingo: Finnish, a language to leave you spellbound
- Pimsleur: Learn to Speak Finnish
- All Language Resources: No Babbel, Rosetta Stone, or Busuu Finnish courses
- Duolingo: Course content can take you to B2 proficiency
- Mango Languages for libraries
- Bubblegum
- Duolingo
- Ling
- Mango Languages
- Glossika
- Drops
- Clozemaster
- uTalk
- italki
- Preply
- HelloTalk
- Tandem
Checked on October 4, 2026 against each app's own pages.
