"After a year of classroom learning and slow progress, I still panicked every time a cashier asked if I needed a bag or if I wanted my coffee for here or to-go. Irina and her FFEL program was exactly the intervention I needed to start speaking Finnish with confidence. No textbooks, no grammar rules." 

— Participant, Helsinki pilot

You've done the work. So why does speaking still feel out of reach?

You've taken courses, maybe more than one. You know more Finnish than you let on. But when you want to tell a stranger they dropped their glove in Finnish, the moment passes before the words come. When your barista asks you something unexpected — you panic and default to English. When you need help finding something in a shop, you walk the aisles alone rather than ask. At daycare pickup, the conversation happens in English. Again.

Years can go by like this.

The problem isn't your knowledge. And it isn't you.

There's a gap between knowing Finnish and actually speaking it — and it's not one that more study closes. Being familiar with the language and being able to reach for it in a real situation are two different skills. Finnish For Everyday Life is built to help you close the speaking gap.

Looking for the Thursday group (starts April 23)? Join here →

It's not a knowledge problem. It's a strategy problem.

The gap between studying and speaking isn't a language gap — it's a strategy gap. And it's one that traditional courses aren't designed to close, because they're built to teach Finnish, not to help you use it in the life you're actually living.

I learned this the hard way. I moved to Finland as an adult, took the courses, put in the work — and still couldn't find my footing in real situations. What changed things wasn't more Finnish. It was a completely different approach.

That's what Finnish For Everyday Life is built on and it's what I've coached hundreds of internationals in Finland through. In the City of Helsinki pilot, 76% completed the full program and 96% reported increased speaking confidence.

What It's Like To Be In FFEL

  • 🎯 You start with situations that build momentum

    Most people practice by doing more — more conversations, more apps, more exposure. FFEL starts somewhere different. You focus where momentum actually builds, and start to feel the difference within the first few weeks.

  • 🗣️ Finnish becomes something you do — daily

    Every session gives you what you need to go out and use Finnish — in a shop, with a stranger, at daycare pickup. Speaking in a real situation is where everything comes together. Not someday. This week.

  • 🔄 You're coached through the whole thing

    You try it, bring it back, and get real coaching — not just encouragement. Then you go again. Seven weeks of that, with a group of people navigating the same journey alongside you.

By the end of the 7 weeks, you'll have:

  • Spoken Finnish in dozens of real everyday situations — through weekly real-world speaking projects and in-session practice

  • Mapped out the daily life areas where you have the most opportunity to practice

  • Developed strategic skills and habits for navigating different types of situations — including the ones that don't go as planned

  • Built a personal system for learning, remembering, and using Finnish that works for your life — and keeps working after the program ends

  • Found your footing alongside a group of people who understand the journey from the inside

  • Most importantly: you'll have proven to yourself that you can speak Finnish in everyday situations!

Recently, something has clicked for me with Finnish and I've actually started speaking. The course has helped me manage everyday situations more confidently, and most importantly keep going even when people kindly offer to switch to English.

 — Participant, Helsinki pilot

Hi, I'm Irina 👋

Finnish Speaking Confidence Coach, and a multibelonger to Romania, Canada, and Finland.

I learned Finnish as an adult here — while doing the ordinary things that turn a country into somewhere you belong. That experience is where FFEL started. Guiding hundreds of internationals through this transition — while teaching me as much as my own journey did — has shaped everything FFEL is today. In my experience, people are far more capable than they realize — and FFEL helps you discover that for yourself.

"The FFEL course has done so much for my confidence — it has allowed me to feel like I can belong in Finland." 

— Participant, Helsinki pilot

Is This For You?

FFEL works best for people who are done waiting until they're "ready" — and are willing to show up, try things, and learn from what happens.

More specifically, this is for you if:

  • You've been studying Finnish and have basic foundations to work with — you're not starting from zero. (See FAQ for more details.)

  • You're able and willing to travel to central Helsinki once a week for the in-person sessions.

  • You can commit to the full 7 weeks — for yourself, and for the group you'll be part of.

  • You're ready to speak Finnish before you feel ready. You'll get coaching on the hard parts. But the willingness to try has to come from you.

Still not sure? Check the FAQ below.

 "While I'd taken courses and had a solid Finnish foundation, I lacked the confidence to take my Finnish out into the world. Irina fostered a warm and supportive environment where we could share our experiences, make mistakes and ask for help. This course has helped my language journey like nothing else has!"

— Participant, Helsinki pilot

Program Schedule & Details

  • In-person: Tuesdays April 21 – June 2, 10am–12pm — central Helsinki, walking distance from metro

  • Online: Fridays April 24 – June 5, 10–10:45am

  • Note: the May 1st online session will be scheduled separately around Vappu

  • Personal feedback on all projects throughout the 7 weeks

  • Peer support built into the program structure


Projects are short real-world speaking assignments between sessions, not homework.



Group size: 15–20 participants

Bonus: Finnish Soundscape Pronunciation Course — yours when you sign up. If your pronunciation confidence isn't where you'd like it, this short course is worth your time — and it directly supports the speaking work you'll do in FFEL. I recommend completing it before FFEL starts if you can. (Total run time is about 1 hour.)

Registration closes: when the group fills or by Thursday, April 2 at 4pm — whichever comes first. A late registration window opens after that at €570 until April 9 at 4pm, but only if space remains.

  • €475,00

    (incl. VAT) Includes all 14 sessions, project feedback, and bonus pronunciation course. Starts April 21st.

    Join the Tuesday group

Looking for the Thursday group (starts April 23)? Join here →

❓Your Questions Answered

  • What level of Finnish do I need?

    You need basic foundations — greetings, numbers, common phrases, the verbs to be and to have (olla), yes/no questions, and question words. You don't need to be fluent or even conversational. You just need enough to work with. If you're past the beginner stage and wondering whether you're too advanced — the strategies in FFEL serve a wide range of Finnish speakers. That said, if you're already navigating work or complex social situations in Finnish with relative ease, this may not be the right fit. Still not sure? Tell me a little about what you're currently doing with your Finnish and what you're hoping to change — irina[at]languagecatalyst[dot]com — and I'll let you know.

  • I've done courses before and very little has changed in my speaking. How is this different?

    Most courses are designed to teach you Finnish — grammar, vocabulary, structure. FFEL is designed to help you use the Finnish you already have. You'll pick up new language along the way, but it's targeted and built around situations you can actually use it in — not added for its own sake. If you've studied but aren't using what you know, this is built for exactly that gap.

  • What language are the sessions taught in?

    The entire purpose of this program is to support you in speaking more Finnish outside of the sessions. To do this: the in-person sessions are held in English, since participants come in with different levels of Finnish. However, you’re invited to ask questions and share experiences in English, Finnish, or a mix. Irina will respond in whichever language you choose. The online sessions are focused entirely on situational practice in Finnish.

  • What if I can't make every session?

    Life happens - I get it. To get the most out of FFEL, I recommend attending at least 5 of the 7 in-person sessions and completing at least 4 of the weekly projects. The 45-minute online sessions are practice opportunities — they don't cover new content, so missing a few won't set you back. If you know in advance you'll miss more than 2 in-person sessions, this cohort may not be the right timing for you — or the Thursday group (starting April 23) might suit your schedule better.

  • Is there a payment plan or refund policy?

    All purchases are made in full — credit cards are accepted. Due to the live group nature of this program, all purchases are final. Every participant completes a short questionnaire after registering — this helps me get to know you and tailor the program to the needs of the group.

  • What's the location?

    In-person sessions take place in central Helsinki, within walking distance of a metro station. The exact address will be confirmed and updated on this page before the program starts. The Friday sessions take place online.

  • Joining with a partner or spouse?

    You're both welcome and you can each sign up for whichever group suits your schedule — Tuesday or Thursday. Get in touch at irina[at]languagecatalyst[dot]com and I'll arrange a household rate for your second registration.

  • Still have questions?

    Email me at irina[at]languagecatalyst[dot]com

"This course completely transformed my relationship with Finnish. I've gone from being embarrassed of my Finnish, and trying to avoid speaking to people, to it now being the default language I use when out and about." 

— Participant, Helsinki pilot

If Not Now, When?

This is the only time FFEL runs in 2026.

Sign up by Thursday, April 2 at 4pm to join at €475 — spots are limited and the group fills first come, first served. Late registration opens after that at €570 until April 9 at 4pm, but only if space remains.
Join the Tuesday group

Looking for the Thursday group (starts April 23)? Join here →