Finnish as a Second Language key terms

The headword that carries the main meaning of a Finnish noun phrase and determines the case ending for the whole phrase; modifiers agree with it in number and case.

One of the grammatical cases of Finnish nouns and adjectives, such as partitive, genitive or the six local cases; the choice often signals whether an action is complete, ongoing or directed.

The partitive case, used for incomplete or unbounded quantity, after numerals and certain verbs, and in negative sentences; it is one of the most frequent cases in spoken and written Finnish.

The object of a verb, which in Finnish appears in partitive or in a total case such as genitive or nominative depending on aspect, negation and quantity.

One of the six traditional conjugation patterns for Finnish verbs, based on the infinitive ending and the stem change; knowing the type helps predict present and past tense forms correctly.

The stem of a Finnish word to which endings are attached; verbs have an infinitive stem and a personal stem, and nouns have a vowel stem and often a consonant stem.

The alternation between strong and weak consonants in a word stem when endings are added, for example kk becoming k or p becoming v; it affects both nouns and verbs.

Agreement between words, especially the requirement that Finnish adjectives and determiners match their head noun in number and case, and that the verb agree with its subject in person and number.

A clitic particle such as -kin, -kaan or -han attached to the end of a word to add emphasis, contrast or a softening tone; it never stands alone.

The colloquial spoken variety of Finnish, which shortens pronouns and endings, drops possessive suffixes and uses forms like mä and sä; recognising it is essential for listening tasks.

The standard written language of Finnish, used in formal texts, news and official documents; it differs from everyday speech in pronoun forms, endings and sentence structure.

The level of formality or style chosen for a situation, ranging from official written Finnish to casual chat; candidates must recognise which register fits a reader, listener or recipient.

Addressing someone with the polite plural form te and the corresponding verb forms; it is used with strangers, older people and in formal service situations.

Addressing a single person with the informal singular sinä; it is normal among friends, colleagues and in many modern workplaces, but can seem abrupt in very formal contexts.

An opening move in a conversation, such as a greeting, a question or a comment on the situation, used to start interaction and signal willingness to talk.

A short response word such as niin, joo or ahaa that shows the listener is following and encourages the speaker to continue; it carries important interactional meaning in Finnish.

Interaction between people, including turn-taking, listening signals and repair; exam tasks in speaking assess how smoothly a candidate manages it rather than only grammar.

A single speech sound of Finnish, such as a vowel or consonant; distinguishing short and long sounds is crucial because length changes meaning, as in tuli and tulli.

The rule that Finnish suffixes take back vowels after back-vowel stems and front vowels after front-vowel stems, with e and i neutral; it affects almost every ending.

The intonation pattern of speech, including rising pitch for questions and stress placement on the first syllable; it helps listeners segment speech and identify speaker attitude.

The main stress of a Finnish word, which falls on the first syllable; secondary stresses fall on later syllables, giving Finnish its characteristic rhythmic pattern.

A compound word formed by joining two or more stems, written as one word; the head is normally the last part, and the spelling differs from a phrase of separate words.

A word class such as noun, verb, adjective or particle; identifying it helps a reader or listener predict how a word behaves in a sentence and which endings it can take.

A word with a meaning close to another word, such as alkaa and aloittaa; exam tasks test whether a candidate can match paraphrases rather than only identical wording.

The surrounding words, sentence or situation that helps a reader or listener infer the meaning of an unfamiliar item; using it is a core strategy in reading and listening tasks.

Working out information that is not stated directly by combining clues in the text with background knowledge; many comprehension questions require this rather than simple word matching.

The main point a text or recording makes, as opposed to supporting details; identifying it quickly is a standard requirement in reading and listening comprehension tasks.

A word in a question or text that carries the essential information needed to locate the answer, such as a name, a number or a contrast word.

Reading quickly through a text to find a specific piece of information, such as a date or a name, without reading every word in detail.

A short summary of a text or talk that states its main points in the writer's own words; writing tasks often require one with a fixed word limit.

A note taken while reading or listening, usually with abbreviations and keywords, to support later answers or writing; effective notes capture structure, not full sentences.

A letter, formal or informal, with a greeting, body and closing; writing tasks often specify the recipient, the purpose and the level of formality required.

An email message, typically with a subject line, salutation, short body and sign-off; Finnish workplace emails range from very formal to fairly direct and informal.

The title of a text, article or message; it usually signals the topic and helps a reader predict content before detailed reading begins.

The division of a written text into paragraphs, each usually covering one idea; correct paragraphing is part of the assessment criteria in writing tasks.

A cohesive device such as a conjunction, pronoun or adverb that links sentences and shows relationships like contrast, cause or sequence; it makes written and spoken text flow.

A reference in a written text showing where information came from, such as an author and year; it is expected in academic and report-style writing tasks.

A factual, neutral style used in reports, notices and official messages, with complete sentences and few emotional expressions; it contrasts with conversational and literary styles.

Politeness shown through word choice, such as conditional forms, softened requests and appropriate greetings; Finnish politeness is often expressed lexically rather than with many honorifics.

A difference in customs, expectations or communication style between cultures, such as attitudes to silence, small talk or directness; recognising it supports successful interaction.