Pimsleur Finnish Level 1 Lesson 21 MP3 - Learn to Speak and Understand Finnish with Pimsleur Language Programs (Downloadable audio file, , 1 Language Lesson + Reading ed.)

About the Finnish Language

• Finnish belongs to the Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric family of languages.
• Its closest relative is Estonian; Hungarian is a distant cousin.
• It is spoken by approximately 5.2 million people, mostly in Finland, and by some in Sweden and Russia as well.
• There are three varieties of standard Finnish which are spoken throughout the country:

"kirjakieli" ("book language") - used in official documents, official speeches and the daily news,

"yleiskieli - "the standard language used in schools; it is formal and correct, though more relaxed than the "book language," and

"puhekieli" ("spoken language") - more casual variety used in everyday conversation, which changes frequently.

This course teaches the standard Finnish language, "yleiskieli."

Pimsleur(R) equals success. Just one 30-minute lesson a day gets you speaking and understanding like no other program. Finnish Phase 1, Unit 21 builds on material taught in prior units. It includes 30 minutes of spoken language practice, with an introductory conversation, new vocabulary, and new structures. Detailed instructions enable you to understand and participate in the conversation. The lesson contains full practice for all vocabulary introduced in this unit and in previous units. The emphasis is on pronunciation and comprehension, and on learning to speak Finnish. This unit contains a Reading Lesson designed to teach you to sound out words with correct pronunciation and accent. A Reading Booklet to be used with the audio lessons is also included in PDF format.