The Finnish Alphabet

Level 1

Finnish uses the Latin alphabet plus three special letters: Å, Ä, and Ö. While it is highly phonetic, there are a few specific rules for sounds like 'ng' and unwritten boundary sounds.

How It Works

The Finnish alphabet contains 31 letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, Š, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Ž, Å, Ä, Ö. While 29 letters are common in everyday use, Š and Ž are officially included for loanwords.

Key Features:

  • Phonetic Nature: Finnish is mostly written as it sounds. The digraph ng is a single long [ŋ] sound (like in 'song'), and sometimes sounds are doubled at word boundaries even if not written.
  • The Special Three: The letters Å, Ä, and Ö appear at the end. Å is for Swedish names. Ä is like 'a' in 'cat'. Ö is a front rounded vowel [ø], similar to 'eu' in French 'bleu'.
  • The Vowel Y: The letter Y is a vowel, pronounced like the German 'ü' or the 'u' in French 'lune'.
  • Vowel Harmony: This is the foundation for vowel harmony. Back vowels (A, O, U) and front vowels (Ä, Ö, Y) usually don't mix. E and I are neutral. Note: If a word contains only neutral vowels (e.g., 'kieli'), it defaults to front-vowel suffixes (like -ssä).
  • Letter Length: Doubling a letter (like 'aa' or 'pp') changes the meaning. This is known as phonemic length.
  • Loanword Letters: B, C, F, Q, Š, W, X, Z, and Ž are for loanwords. G is also for loanwords, except when paired with 'n' in native words. W is pronounced exactly like V.
  • The Letter J: In Finnish, J is always pronounced like the English 'Y' in 'yellow'.

Examples (5)

  1. sää vs. saa

    weather vs. gets/receives

    This shows how the dots on the Ä change the entire meaning of the word.

  2. tuli vs. tuuli

    fire vs. wind

    Doubling the vowel 'u' creates a long sound and changes the word from 'fire' to 'wind'.

  3. kissa istuu katolla.

    The cat is sitting on the roof.

    Word by Word: Cat sits on-roof.

    A sentence using only 'back' vowels (a, o, u) and 'neutral' vowels (i), demonstrating standard spelling.

  4. Tapaan ystäväni tänään.

    I am meeting my friend today.

    Word by Word: I-meet friend-my today.

    A sentence using 'front' vowels (y, ä) and double consonants (pp) and vowels (ää).

  5. kengät

    shoes

    Demonstrates the 'ng' sound, which is one of the few cases where two letters represent a single unique sound [ŋː].

Common Mistakes

  • Treating Ä and Ö as optional accents.

    Minä asun metsassa.
    Minä asun metsässä.

    In Finnish, 'a' and 'ä' are different letters. Writing 'metsassa' is a spelling error and changes the pronunciation significantly.

  • Pronouncing 'J' like the English 'J' in 'Jack'.

    Järvi (pronounced with a hard J)
    Järvi (pronounced like 'Yärvi')

    The Finnish 'J' is always a semivowel, sounding like the English 'Y'.

  • Reducing unstressed vowels to a 'schwa' sound.

    banaani (pronounced 'buh-naa-ni')
    banaani (pronounced 'bah-naa-ni')

    Every vowel in Finnish must be pronounced clearly and fully, regardless of whether it is stressed or not.

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The Finnish AlphabetLevel 1

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