Finnish from zero for work
Finnish from zero for work is a free, beginner online course from Herizon.
Finnish for people starting from zero: how Finnish sounds and is read, greetings and introducing yourself at work, numbers, times and shift lists, coffee-break basics, reading Teams messages and the key words of a job ad, and an honest picture of which jobs need which level. Written for A0-A1, with English explanations throughout. Leads into Workplace Finnish.
You finish with Finnish added to your Herizon profile.
Free · 25 min read · certificate when you pass the quiz · part of Working in Finland · last updated 30 October 2026
Free account, about two minutes. You can join if you live in the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland, or a partner organisation invited you.
Already have an account? Open it in the portalA look inside the course
Lucia is a logistics coordinator from Colombia. She has lived in Finland for 3 months and speaks no Finnish. Lucia is a worked example, not a real person, and Kaislikko Logistiikka is an invented company. This is week 1 of her first month in a new job in Vantaa. The office works in English, but the shift list, the coffee room and the team chat are in Finnish. Her first job is to read the names on the shift list out loud.
It takes about 25 min of reading, plus exercises, a short quiz and a practice task. It teaches Finnish. Pass the short quiz at the end to get a certificate.
What you will be able to do
- How Finnish sounds and how to read it aloud: one letter, one sound, stress on the first syllable
- Greetings, a one-line introduction and the lines for "I don't understand"
- Coffee-break basics, numbers on the phone, days, times and the shift list
- Reading a Teams message and the key words of a job ad
- An honest picture of which jobs need which level, and a plan for your next step
Who it is for
People who start from zero Finnish (A0) or know only a few words. B2 English is assumed, and every Finnish word comes with an English meaning. Already around A2? Start with Workplace Finnish instead. This course takes you to A1 recognition and set phrases. It does not get you to working in Finnish. It also does not teach you how Finnish sounds with audio, so it points to free audio for each sound.
The situation you work through
Lucia, a logistics coordinator from Colombia, has lived in Finland for 3 months and speaks no Finnish. She starts an English-language job at Kaislikko Logistiikka in Vantaa, where the office works in English but the warehouse shift list, the coffee room and the team chat are in Finnish. Over her first four weeks she learns to read Finnish aloud, greet and introduce herself, follow numbers, times and the shift list, read a Teams message and the key words of a job ad, and sets an honest plan for her next level.
Your practice task
In one week, use Finnish at A1 for four real things. Introduce yourself in Finnish to one person (or to Floria if you are not working yet). Read one real Finnish job ad and copy its työtehtävät, vaatimukset, työaika, palkka and hakuaika lines with your English meaning, plus its language line. Write and send one short Finnish message or email of up to three lines. Pick one free way to keep learning and sign up. Submit your introduction as you said it, the ad lines with your meanings and what the language line asks of you, your message exactly as sent, the option you picked, and two sentences on what was hardest and what you will practise next.
Key topics
- Finnish is read as written
- Hello at work
- I don't understand: the survival lines
- The coffee break
- Numbers on the phone
- Days, times and the shift list
and 5 more pages
What you get when you pass
A certificate with your name, the course and the date. Sharing it is your choice. If you share it, it has a public link that anyone can open to check it, and you can add it to LinkedIn.
Common questions about Finnish from zero for work
- Is Finnish from zero for work free?
- Yes. The course is free with a Herizon account, and the account is free too.
- How long does Finnish from zero for work take?
- It takes about 25 min of reading, plus exercises, a short quiz and a practice task. You can stop and continue later, because the portal keeps your place.
- Do I get a certificate?
- Yes. Pass the short quiz at the end to get a certificate you can share, for example on LinkedIn.
- What do I need to start?
- A free Herizon account. The course is written at beginner level.
- Who can join Herizon?
- You can join if you live in the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland, or a partner organisation invited you.
- Who is Finnish from zero for work for?
- People who start from zero Finnish (A0) or know only a few words. B2 English is assumed, and every Finnish word comes with an English meaning. Already around A2? Start with Workplace Finnish instead. This course takes you to A1 recognition and set phrases. It does not get you to working in Finnish. It also does not teach you how Finnish sounds with audio, so it points to free audio for each sound.
Start Finnish from zero for work free
Start this course freeCommon questions about Finnish from zero for work
- Is Finnish from zero for work free?
- Yes. The course is free with a Herizon account, and the account is free too.
- How long does Finnish from zero for work take?
- It takes about 25 min of reading, plus exercises, a short quiz and a practice task. You can stop and continue later, because the portal keeps your place.
- Do I get a certificate?
- Yes. Pass the short quiz at the end to get a certificate you can share, for example on LinkedIn.
- What do I need to start?
- A free Herizon account. The course is written at beginner level.
- Who can join Herizon?
- You can join if you live in the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland, or a partner organisation invited you.
- Who is Finnish from zero for work for?
- People who start from zero Finnish (A0) or know only a few words. B2 English is assumed, and every Finnish word comes with an English meaning. Already around A2? Start with Workplace Finnish instead. This course takes you to A1 recognition and set phrases. It does not get you to working in Finnish. It also does not teach you how Finnish sounds with audio, so it points to free audio for each sound.
More in Working in Finland
- Permits, taxes and everyday bureaucracy30 min · 9 pages
- Finnish work culture and your rights30 min · 10 pages
- The first 90 days in a Nordic job33 min · 10 pages
- Workplace Finnish25 min · 8 pages
- When the job goes wrong42 min · 10 pages
Courses that teach similar skills
- Finnish for the job hunt43 min · 13 pages