Updated on May 31st, 2023 / TT
Autumn term 2023
We organize Finnish courses from beginner’s level A1 to level C1, in four locations as well as online. Our courses are open to everyone, but students need to register in advance for most of the courses. We do not provide language testing, but certificates of attendance are provided on request. If you need a certificate after the course, please contact our customer service: toimisto (at) ahjola.fi
Further information about our Finnish courses:
Monday to Thursday 10 am – 2 pm
Tuula Kivelä tel. 044 553 8414 / tuula.kivela (at) ahjola.fi
Eveliina Kiukkonen tel. 044 553 8490 / eveliina.kiukkonen (at) ahjola.fi
If you have no idea about you Finnish skills level, you can try out this self-assesment grid.
Registration
Note! The 3 Finnish courses for immigrant women held at Naistari (1201008, 1201009, and 1201010) and the course for immigrant men at Mattila (1201012) are an exception: you need not register in advance for them. For all our other Finnish courses you need to register either online or by phone.
How to register?
• Online registration starts on June 15th, 2023, at 10 am.
• Registration by phone at 044 553 8400 between 10 am and 3 pm. Note! Our customer service is closed from June 22nd to August 6th, and opens again on August 7th.
If you register by phone, be prepared to give us your email address, to which we will send confirmation of your registration and the payment details for paying the course fee.
Note that your registration is binding; if you know you can’t attend the course, cancel your registration at least 8 days before the course begins (free of charge). For cancellations 1-7 days before the beginning of the course we charge a handling fee (15 €). Under exceptional circumstances (e.g. gathering restrictions imposed by the Government) students can cancel their course registration free of charge before the course begins. After the course has started, the whole course fee is charged.
Cancellations and questions about payments: Please contact talous (at) ahjola.fi.
If the course level is not right for you, you can change to a more suitable course. In such a case, please contact Tuula 044 553 8414 or Eveliina 044 553 8490.
Course locations
- Juhannuskylä school (in the centre) Rautatienkatu 3-5
- Ahjola (in Pispala) Erämiehenkatu 10
- Naistari (in Hervanta) Lindforsinkatu 4
- Mattila (in Pyynikki) Sepänkatu
- Online (17 courses)
ONSITE COURSES
COURSES IN AUGUST
Finnish for beginners intensively in August (level 0-A1.2) 1201005
Location: Ahjola, Pirtti
Mondays to Fridays 2.15 – 5.30 pm
14.8.-1.9.2023 (60 hours)
Course fee: 78 €
An intensive Finnish course for beginners. Coursebook: Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.), ch. 1-5. After this course you can continue on the Finnish continuation course (1201020) starting in September. English can be used alongside Finnish when needed as a language of instruction.
Activate your Finnish in August (level A1) 1201006
Location: Ahjola, Nurkkis
Wednesdays and Fridays 5 – 7.30 pm
9.8.-1.9.2023 (24 hours)
Course fee: 49 €
This course is for students who have taken Ahjola’s Finnish for beginners course or Finnish 1 course. The course suits also those who have studied Finnish with another beginners’ coursebook. We will activate the texts and dialogues of Suomen mestari 1 in relaxed and varied ways and forget about grammar exercises! We will speak, listen, and practice Finnish orally. The texts and dialogues used on this course are from chapters 7-9. English and Russian are used as languages of instruction alongside Finnish, when needed.
EVENING COURSES AT JUHANNUSKYLÄ SCHOOL (LEVELS A1-B1)
Finnish 1 (level 0-A1.3) 1201030
Location: Juhannuskylä school
Mondays and Wednesdays 5.00-7.30 pm
4.9.-7.12.2023 (78 hours)
Course fee: 97 €
A Finnish course for beginners. After completing this course you can continue to course Finnish 2 in January 2024. The course is fast and requires self-study at home between classes. Course book: Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.). The book will be completed during the course. English can be used alongside Finnish as a language of tuition when needed.
Finnish 2 (level A1.3-A2.1) 1201032
Location: Juhannuskylä school
Tuesdays and Thursdays 5.00-7.30 pm
5.9.-7.12.2023 (84 hours)
Course fee: 102 €
This course is for students who have completed the Finnish 1 course or studied the same topics elsewhere (you have completed the book Suomen mestari 1 or a similar course). Course book: Suomen mestari 2, from the beginning. The book will be completed during the course. The aim is for the students to be able to use more Finnish in their everyday life. The course is fast and requires self-study between classes. English and Russian can be used alongside Finnish as languages of tuition, when needed. After this course you can continue on the course Finnish 3 in spring 2024.
Finnish 2 at a slower pace (level A1.3-A2.1) 1201035
Location: Juhannuskylä school
Tuesdays and Thursdays 5.00-6.30 pm
5.9.-30.11.2023 (48 hours)
9.1.-23.4.2024 (54 hours)
Course fee (autumn term): 69 €
This course is for students who have completed the Finnish 1 course or studied the same topics elsewhere (you have completed the book Suomen mestari 1 or a similar course). You can join the course in January if you have already studied chapters 1-4 of the coursebook Suomen mestari 2. We focus on speaking, listening, and activating the students’ language skills. We aim at using as much Finnish as possible but English may be used alongside Finnish when necessary.
Finnish 3 (level A2.1-A2.2) 1201038
Location: Juhannuskylä school
Mondays and Wednesdays 5.00-7.30 pm
4.9.-4.12.2023 (75 hours)
Course fee: 88 €
This course is for students who have completed Ahjola’s Finnish 2 course or have studied the same topics elsewhere. Coursebook: Suomen mestari 3, chapters 1-4 and complementary material prepared by the teacher. The course includes independent study between classes with the coursebook. After this course you can continue on the course Finnish 4 in January 2024.
Finnish 4 (level A2.2-B1.1) 1201040
Location: Juhannuskylä school
Tuesdays and Thursdays 5.00-7.30 pm
5.9.-30.11.2023 (72 hours)
Course fee: 88 €
This course is for students who have completed Ahjola’s Finnish 3 course or have studied the same topics elsewhere and already manage in Finnish in everyday situations. Coursebook: Suomen mestari 3, chapters 5-8, and complementary material provided by the teacher. At the beginning of the course we will review the topics of the first half of the book, if needed. The course includes independent study between classes with the coursebook.
AFTERNOON COURSES IN PISPALA (LEVELS A1-A2)
Finnish for beginners in Pispala (level 0-A1.2) 1201016
Location: Ahjola, Nurkkis
Mondays and Wednesdays 2.45-4.15 pm
4.9.-11.12.2023 (52 hours)
Course fee: 73 €
A Finnish course for beginners at a slower pace than on our course Suomi 1 at Juhannuskylä school. We focus on speaking and listening but practice reading and writing as well, and aim at using Finnish actively from the start. Coursebook: Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.), ch. 1-5. English can be used alongside Finnish as a language of tuition when needed.
Finnish continuation course in Pispala (level A1.2-A1.3) 1201020
Location: Ahjola, Pirtti
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2.15-3.45 pm
5.9.-7.12.2023 (52 hours)
Course fee: 73 €
A continuation course for the students who took Ahjola’s Finnish for beginners course in May or August 2023 and for others who have studied some Finnish for beginners. You should already have studied chapters 1-5 of the book Suomen mestari 1 or similar content on another course. We focus on speaking and listening but practice also reading and writing, and activate the language that has already been learned. Coursebook: Suomen mestari 1, ch 6-9. English is used alongside Finnish when needed.
Finnish for beginners intensively in December (level 0-A1.2) 1201007
Location: Ahjola, Pirtti
Mondays to Fridays 5 – 8.15 pm
4.12.-19.12.2023 and 3.1.-5.1.2024 (56 hours)
Course fee: 78 €
An intensive Finnish course for beginners. Coursebook: Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.), ch. 1-5. The course progresses quickly and requires independent study. English can be used alongside Finnish when needed as a language of instruction. After this course, you can continue your Finnish studies in January on the Finnish Continuation Course, which covers parts 6-9 of the book.
FINNISH COURSES FOR IMMIGRANTS AT NAISTARI AND MATTILA
Easy Finnish for immigrant women (level A1) 1201008
Location: Naistari
Mondays and Wednesdays 10.30-12.00 am
4.9.-29.11.2023 (52 hours)
8.1.-15.4.2024 (52 hours)
No course fee
This course is for immigrant women who do not speak any Finnish yet, or understand a little Finnish. After this course you will know, for instance, greetings, weekdays, and seasons in Finnish. You will be able to introduce yourself and your family, and buy food and tickets in Finnish. The course material is provided by the teacher. The course is not intended for students who are illiterate in their own language. Registration in Naistari.
More Finnish for immigrant women (level A2) 1201009
Location: Naistari
Mondays and Wednesdays 9.00-10.30 am
4.9.-29.11.2023 (52 hours)
8.1.-15.4.2024 (52 hours)
No course fee
This course is for immigrant women who have studied some Finnish already (for at least 1-2 years). We learn more Finnish for everyday needs, in various situations such as visiting acquaintances, going to the doctor, shopping, going to the bank. After this course, you know the names of months in Finnish, can talk about concrete topics, e.g. yourself and your family, and can ask for directions or give them to others. The course material is provided by the teacher. Registration in Naistari.
Finnish continuation course for immigrant women (level B1) 1201010
Location: Naistari
Mondays and Wednesdays 12.30 – 2.00 pm
4.9.-29.11.2023 (52 hours)
8.1.-15.4.2024 (52 hours)
No course fee
This course is suitable for immigrant women who have studied Finnish at least for a couple of years, and can already handle everyday situations in Finnish. We practice using Finnish in various customer service situations and in education. After this course you are able to discuss your hobbies, free time, and your workday, conduct your business in different bureaus, handle accident situations, and more. The course material is provided by the teacher. Registration in Naistari.
Finnish for immigrant men (level A1) 1201012
Location: Mattila
Tuesdays 11.30 am – 1.00 pm
5.9.-28.11.2023 (24 hours)
9.1.-9.4.2024 (26 hours)
No course fee
This course is intended for immigrant men who have studied a little Finnish, e.g. one course or 1/2 – 1 years, and want to learn more. You already know how to tell something about yourself in Finnish and can handle the most common everyday conversation situations in Finnish. We will learn more everyday Finnish, talk together in Finnish, and learn some basic structues of the language. After the course you will be able to, for example, write and read short texts and manage better in everyday situations in Finnish. The course is organized in co-operation with Men’s Civic House Mattila. Registration at Mattila before or during the first lesson. No class on 17th October.
ONLINE COURSES
SHORT ONLINE COURSES IN AUGUST AND DECEMBER
Intensive Finnish for beginners online in August (level 0-A1.2) 1201050
Location: online (Peda.net)
14.8.-8.9.2023 (40 hours)
Course fee: 64 €
This course is for beginners who want to proceed fast and are able to study daily and for those who want to rehearse Finnish for beginners. We will start learning Finnish from scratch with a focus on words and phrases needed in everyday live as well as basic grammar. You will get new material every weekday (Mon-Fri). The online material comprises videos, audios and exercises to train listening comprehension, writing skills and speech. You will get online support and answers to your questions throughout the course. The languages of instruction are Finnish and English.
To participate you need a computer / mobile device, a microphone, and speakers. You also need the coursebook Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.), of which chapters 1-5 will be covered. The learning platform is Peda.net. The teacher will contact you by email prior to the beginning of the course and give instructions about the platform. There are no real-time video meetings on the course; you can study at any time that suits you best. Participation on this course requires about 10 hours of study time per week.
Review your Finnish online in August (level B1) 1201052
Location: online (Zoom)
Mondays and Wednesdays 5.00-7.15 pm
7.8.-30.8.2023 (24 hours)
Course fee: 51 €
The course suits you if you have studied for example the books Suomen mestari 1-3 and already know the following grammar structures: the past and the perfect tense, the conditional, the T-plural, the partitive plural, and the object. We will practice e.g. verb forms in the past tense, using verbs in the active and passive forms, expressions of time, and forming new words. After the course it will be easier for you to listen to spoken Finnish and you will have more fluency in discussions on everyday topics. You will also be able to read a bit longer texts about current topics as well as deduce meanings without a dictionary. The course is held online via Zoom. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will contact the participants by email on the starting date of the course and send the Zoom link.
Review your Finnish online in December (level B1) 1201095
Location: online (Zoom)
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 5.00-7.15 pm
1.12.-20.12.2023 (24 hours)
Course fee: 51 €
The course suits you if you have studied for example the books Suomen mestari 1-3 and already know the following grammar structures: the past and the perfect tense, the conditional, the T-plural, the partitive plural, and the object. We will practice e.g. verb forms in the past tense, using verbs in the active and passive forms, expressions of time, and forming new words. After the course it will be easier for you to listen to spoken Finnish and you will have more fluency in discussions on everyday topics. You will also be able to read a bit longer texts about current topics as well as deduce meanings without a dictionary.
The course is held online via Zoom. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will contact the participants by email on the starting date of the course and send the Zoom link.
ONLINE COURSES STARTING AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST
Finnish for beginners online (level 0-A1.3) 1201055
Location: online (Peda.net)
19.9.-28.11.2023 (40 hours)
9.1.-19.3.2024 (40 hours)
Course fee: 64 € (autumn term)
This course is for beginners. The course includes 40 modules, each consisting of teaching videos, audios and various exercises to train listening comprehension, writing skills and speech. You will get two modules each week on Tuesdays. You will get online support and answers to your questions throughout the course. The languages of instruction are Finnish and English.
To participate you need a computer / mobile device, a microphone, and speakers. You also need the coursebook Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.), of which chapters 1-5 will be covered in the autumn and chapters 6-9 in the spring term. The learning platform is Peda.net. The teacher will contact you by email prior to the beginning of the course and give instructions about the platform. Note! There are no real time video meetings on this course, but there is a weekly timetable for group exercises.
Finnish continuation course online (level A1.2-A1.3) 1201058
Location: online (Peda.net)
19.9.-28.11.2023 (40 hours)
Course fee: 64 €
This course is for students who have studied chapters 1-5 of the book Suomen mestari 1 on an earlier course or for those who have studied more and want to refresh and review their skills. The course includes 20 modules. You will get two modules each Tuesday, and you can study when it suits you best. The online material comprises videos, audios, and exercises to train listening comprehension, writing skills, and speech. You will get online support and answers to your questions throughout the course. The languages of instruction are Finnish and English.
To participate you need a computer / mobile device, a microphone, and speakers. You also need the coursebook Suomen mestari 1 (the 2020 or later ed.), of which chapters 6-9 will be covered. The learning platform is Peda.net. The teacher will contact you by email prior to the beginning of the course and give instructions about the platform. Note! There are no real time video meetings on this course, but there is a weekly timetable for group exercises.
Easy spoken Finnish online (level A1.2-A1.3) 1201060
Location: online (Zoom)
Wednesdays 10.00-11.30 am
20.9.-29.11.2023 (20 hours)
Course fee: 47 €
The course suits you if you have studied Finnish at least half a year or e.g. the book Suomen mestari 1. We practice everyday spoken Finnish, for example how to use Finnish in the health centre or in a shop. This course complements courses such as the Finnish continuation course and Finnish 2. Study material is provided by the teacher. English is used alongside Finnish as a language of tuition.
The course is held online via Zoom. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone / headphones, and a camera. The teacher will contact the participants by email with instructions and the Zoom link before the course begins.
Elementary Finnish online I (level A1) 1201065
Location: online (Peda.net)
13.9.-22.11.2023 (20 hours)
Course fee: 48 €
The course is for students who have studied some Finnish for beginners, e.g. Suomen mestari 1, and want to review and further practice the basics of elementary Finnish. We work on vocabulary, grammar, listening, and simple writing. Most of the coursework is done independently following the course instructions. There will also be a weekly assignment on which you get feedback from the teacher. The languages of instruction are English and Finnish. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection and basic computer skills. There are no real-time video meetings on the course. The teacher will contact the participants by email prior to the beginning of the course.
Elementary Finnish online II (level A2.1) 1201067
Location: online (Peda.net)
20.9.-29.11.2023 (20 hours)
Course fee: 48 €
The course is for students who have studied the basics of Finnish, e.g. Suomen mestari 1-2, and want to review and practice their Finnish. The course also suits those who have taken the course Elementary Finnish online I earlier. We work on vocabulary, grammar, listening, and writing. Most of the coursework is done independently following the course instructions. There are also weekly assignments on which you get feedback from the teacher. The languages of instruction are Finnish and English. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection and basic computer skills. There are no real-time video meetings on the course. The teacher will contact the participants by email prior to the beginning of the course.
Finnish online (level A2-B1) 1201070
Location: online (Peda.net)
11.9.-13.11.2023 (20 hours)
Course fee: 48 €
The course is designed for students whose language level is at least A2: you have studied Finnish for at least two years and can communicate in Finnish in everyday situations and understand basic texts in Finnish. The course suits you if you want to improve your writing skills. We focus on writing in Finnish as well as understanding written and spoken Finnish. The language of instruction is Finnish. There are no real-time video meetings on the course, but the material and personal comments provided by the teacher support your independent learning during the whole course. In addition, you will receive a weekly task that you can submit for personalized feedback from the teacher. To participate you need a computer and an internet connection. The teacher will contact you by email before the course starts.
Learn about and prepare for the YKI test (level B1.1) 1201072
Location: online (Zoom)
Fridays 4.30-6.45 pm
8.9.2023 – 29.9.2023 (12 hours)
Course fee: 41 €
The course is for students whose Finnish skills level is B1.1. and who are planning to take the YKI test (level 3) in the near future. The course familiarizes you with the task types of the YKI test and provides effective practice for writing, reading comprehension, speaking, and listening comprehension tasks. Note: the course is not meant for students below level B1.1. The goal of the course is not to learn Finnish, but to familiarize oneself and prepare for the YKI test. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone or headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you the Zoom link by email on the starting date of the course.
Suomi sujuvaksi 1 (level B1), 3 credits 1201075
Location: online (Zoom)
Mondays 4.30-6.00 pm
4.9.-27.11.2023 (26 hours)
8.1.-15.4.2024 (26 hours)
Course fee (autumn term): 52 €
This course is suitable for students who have completed Ahjola’s courses Finnish 1-4 or have otherwise reached level B1.1 in Finnish and want to strengthen their skills, expand their vocabulary, strengthen their grammar, and practice discussing various topics. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you the Zoom link by email on the starting date of the course. Note! You can earn credits (opintopiste) on this course.
Finnish discussion course in Zoom (level B1-B2) 1201076
Location: online (Zoom)
Tuesdays 4.30-6.00 pm
12.9.-28.11.2023 (24 hours)
Course fee: 51 €
Do you feel that there are not enough chances to practice oral skills in Finnish through discussions? On this course we will choose a topic, go through expressions associated with the topic, and activate the words and expressions by speaking in small groups or pairs. The course suits you if you have studied Finnish actively for 3-4 years and already have a wide vocabulary on which to build. The course is held online via Zoom. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you the link to Zoom on the first date of the course.
Online writing course – towards level B2 (level B1.2-B2.1) 1201078
Location: online (Zoom)
Thursdays 5.00-6.30 pm
14.9.-16.11.2023 (20 hours)
Course fee: 48 €
Would you like to write texts with more fluent Finnish? This course suits you if you have studied Finnish actively for at least 2-3 years and want to learn to write with more accuracy. We will meet once a week via Zoom. During our meetings we will study and practice various sentence structures. After each meeting you will get a writing assignment on a current topic. The students get personal feedback on the assignments. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you instructions by email before the beginning of the course.
Puhutaan puhekieltä (level B2) 1201080
Location: online (Zoom)
Mondays 6.00-7.30 pm
11.9.-27.11.2023 (24 hours)
Course fee: 51 €
Why are some Finnish words different in spoken and written language? What do expressions such as ”kelit kohillaan” or ”ootatko vielä 5 minsaa” mean? On this course we will listen to short, authentic discussions, and read Facebook and Instagram posts as well as text messages written in spoken language. We’ll learn about some rules of spoken Finnish, and practice the understanding and use of spoken Finnish. The course suits you if you have studied Finnish actively for at least 2-3 years and you already have a wide vocabulary. The studying platform is Zoom. To participate you need a computer with a good internet connection, microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you the Zoom link by email on the starting date of the course.
Suomi sujuvaksi 2 (level B2.1) 1201082
Location: online (Zoom)
Tuesdays 6.00-7.30 pm
5.9.-28.11.2023 (26 hours)
9.1.-9.4.2024 (26 hours)
Course fee (autumn term): 52 €
This course is for students who have studied Finnish for several years and whose estimated language proficiency level is at least a strong B1. You want to become more accurate in your Finnish and want to learn to use more advanced grammar structures. The focus of the course is on speaking and reading, but the students also have the opportunity to hand in writing assignments for feedback from the teacher. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you instructions and the Zoom link by email on the starting day of the course.
Suomi sujuvaksi 3 (level B2.2) 1201083
Location: online (Zoom)
Wednesdays 6.00-7.30 pm
6.9.-29.11.2023 (26 hours)
10.1.-10.4.2024 (26 hours)
Course fee (spring term): 52 €
The course is for students who have studied Finnish for several years and whose estimated language proficiency level is B2. You already understand fast speech in Finnish and can communicate quite fluently in different situations. You want to improve and expand your vocabulary, and learn how to express nuances, attitudes, and details. The focus of the course is on speaking and reading, but the students also have the opportunity to hand in writing assignments for feedback from the teacher. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection, a microphone/headphones, and a camera. The teacher will send you instructions and the Zoom link by email on the starting day of the course.
Online Finnish for advanced students (level C1) 1201090
Location: online (Peda.net)
18.9.-20.11.2023 (20 hours)
Course fee: 48 €
This course is for students whose language proficiency level in Finnish is B2.2/C1. We focus on vocabulary nuances that suit different language situations, learn less common grammar structures, and look at different text types and how they may influence the reader. The course is held completely online; the learning platform used is Peda.net. You will get a weekly learning plan including various exercises and one assignment on which you will get feedback from the teacher. To participate you need a computer with an internet connection. The teacher will send you an email prior to the beginning of the course with further instructions. The course is similar to the one held in spring 2023. There are no real-time video meetings on this course; you can study when it suits you best.