Which vocabulary words to learn next??

[Phil]

Currently, there are only 20 levels (about 430 words total) in the "Learn Finnish" online program. I'm going to add more words but want to know some suggestions of words to add. Here is the current setup...

1 Easy & Common Words 1 (who, what, where, when, how..)
2 Easy & Common Words 2
3 Time, Day, Year, Hour
4 Seasons & Months
5 Colors
6 Opposites 1 (ie hot/cold, tall/short)
7 Opposites 2
8 Opposites 3
9 Household Items 1
10 Household Items 2
11 Food 1
12 Fruits & Vegetables 1
13 Verbs 1
14 Verbs 2
15 Verbs 3
16 Household Appliances
17 Animals 1
18 Animals 2
19 Parts of the Body
20 Clothing

...which other "word groups" should I begin to add? I think levels 21 & 22 will both be more verbs.

[Great Scott]

I've always thought that the besat things to learn in Finnish for native English speakers would be particles. These are quite easy as they don't decline, and they are in common usage. Think kunnes, ainakin, tai, joko tai, mutta, sekä että, jne.

Those are invaluable and once you leanr to use them in a sentence they will make your Finnish sound much more natural.

[Guest]

Maybe you can also consider words that are construed with a certain conjugation, for example

kiitos + elatiivi (sta)
rakastaa (and other verbs that show emotion) + partitiivi (a / ta)
pitää (if 'to like') + elatiivi (sta)

etc. etc.

Make little sentences (need be only 3-4 words) where these words are used.
You not only learn new words in this way, but also a bit of grammar / conjugation.

Thanks for the food - Kiitos ruosta
I love you - minä rakastan sinua
I like a tomato - Minä pidän tomaatista

[PeterF]

I've always thought that the besat things to learn in Finnish for native English speakers would be particles. kunnes, ainakin, tai, joko tai, mutta, sekä että, jne.

Those are invaluable and once you learn to use them in a sentence they will make your Finnish sound much more natural.

Good point Scott..it is important to use these words which Finn throw into everyday speaking... and by the way welcome to . nice that make your first posting a positive contribition.
some others ...selvä...aina..voi -voi....non-niin...scatter them about in your chatter..
Also listen how the Finns add "kin" and "pa" to the end of words which can mean "also" or add emphasis.

[Great Scott]

Thanks, if only I had known of the existence of this board a long time ago.... I had a really good list of particles that I had collected and I shall endeavour to find it again if it would be of any help at all. Besides pa and kin you forgot my favorite, han/hän. This suffix invariably gives rise to the unforgettable hänhän.

[Tom and Jerry]

Besides pa and kin you forgot my favorite, han/hän. This suffix invariably gives rise to the unforgettable hänhän.

Sehän! is used instead. Hänhän! seldom used.

Suomen kielioppia ulkomaalaisille, Leila White, has good chapters on the use of these particles (pa, pas, kin, kaan, hän)

[deojuvame]

To expand on the "natural" Finnish what about adding some slang words? "Mä oon" instead of "Minä olen" etc etc. Maybe put it a little more advanced than the basic stuff so it doesn't confuse people too much...

[Great Scott]

Perhaps the most useful thing I ever got out of my short experience with trying to learn Finnish by going to a course was from a picture. Man sitting on a horse thinking "Minulla on hyvä hevonen", at the same time the horse was thinking "Mina olen hyvä hevonen". Was really a very useful thing to me at the time when trying to practically understand the practical points of a declined language.

[PeterF]

Perhaps the most useful thing I ever got out of my short experience with trying to learn Finnish by going to a course was from a picture. Man sitting on a horse thinking "Minulla on hyvä hevonen", at the same time the horse was thinking "Mina olen hyvä hevonen". Was really a very useful thing to me at the time when trying to practically understand the practical points of a declined language.

A better or perhaps more memorable example, which Hank claims I got wrong once in our pub
Is to say to the bar maid, when she ask if there is anything you want.
Onko ilmaiseksi? or Oletko ilmaiseksi?

[Guest]

A better or perhaps more memorable example, which Hank claims I got wrong once in our pub
Is to say to the bar maid, when she ask if there is anything you want.
Onko ilmaiseksi? or Oletko ilmaiseksi?

Please, Peter, do us a favor and tell the rest of the story too!
That's something you cannot possibly keep from us

[PeterF]

A better or perhaps more memorable example, which Hank claims I got wrong once in our pub
Is to say to the bar maid, when she ask if there is anything you want.
Onko ilmaiseksi? or Oletko ilmaiseksi?

Please, Peter, do us a favor and tell the rest of the story too!
That's something you cannot possibly keep from us

Not a lot to tell. .Hank and I were sitting at the bar..we were doing more talking than drinking.. and the bar maid was not so busy so she kept coming and asking if we wanted another beer ..she was a bit pushy..so I thought I would ask "if the beer was free!"
But as in the words of the song by Nylon Beat..sanoja väärin päin..
The words came out all wrong!
I asked if she i.e. her price was free.. not the beer!
Hank spat beer all over the bar and she just said rather loudly "Anteksi!"
Then laughed and said "good thing that I am used to your terrible Finnish or you would now be banned!"
Good chat up line though..try it

[Hank W.]

Actually, you were meaning to ask;

onko ilmaiseksi (is [this] for free)

but you used the wrong person paused mid-word;

oletko ilma seksi (are [you] without sex ... about as bad as 'for free')