FAQ — Finnish Companion
Everything you need to know about the Finnish learning toolkit
What is the Finnish Companion?
The Finnish Companion is not a course or a "Duolingo clone." It's a collection of specialized tools designed to make Finnish less overwhelming.
Think of it as a gym buddy for your Finnish: it spots you on the hard reps until you build your own strength and confidence.
Who created it and why?
It was built by Zak Allal, a doctor and neuroscientist, after experiencing the gaps in existing Finnish resources.
Many tools were flashy but ineffective; the Companion focuses on practical, targeted solutions.
Is it free?
Yes. The project is designed as a not-for-profit, made accessible to everyone who wants to learn Finnish.
What does it include?
The Companion focuses on the hardest parts of Finnish with tools such as:
- Compass — an all-in-one linguistic toolkit
- Dictionary — fast Finnish–English lookup (500k+ words)
- Conjugator & Reverse Conjugator — master Finnish's changing word forms
- Word Breakdown — split long compound words into understandable parts
- Translation Assistant — detailed grammar-aware translations
- Pronunciation Support — listen and repeat Finnish words
- SisuDrills — repetition-based grammar and word exercises
- SubsExtension — real-time subtitle translation on Finnish TV (Yle Areena)
- OppiLink — teacher platform for lessons and shared materials
Why is this needed?
Finnish is ranked among the world's hardest languages for learners, with:
- 15 grammatical cases → words constantly change form
- Very long compound words → hard to parse without help
- Scarce resources → no single "go-to" learning system
- Fast spoken Finnish & dialects → subtitles can be tough to follow
- Limited practice opportunities → locals often switch to English
The Companion directly targets these pain points with practical, drill-based, AI-assisted tools.
What is it NOT?
The Finnish Companion is:
- Not a full course or curriculum (it won't teach greetings in order)
- Not a school (no teachers, classes, or certifications)
- Not a magic bullet (learning still requires effort)
- Not gamified (no streaks, points, or leaderboards)
- Not passive (you'll engage actively with exercises)
- Not bloated or ad-driven (minimalist, distraction-free)
- Not a human tutor (it augments practice, not replaces conversation)
Who is it for?
- Newcomers who need Finnish to live and work in Finland quickly
- Long-term residents who stalled and want a clean, effective restart
- Teachers who want serious tools without the noise
What's the philosophy?
- • Useful > flashy
- • Practice > theory
- • Open doors, not levels (jump to what you need)
- • Respect attention (no ads, no manipulative design)
- • Privacy by default (runs in your browser where possible)
- • Affordable & accessible (social-enterprise mindset)
👉 Bottom line:
The Finnish Companion is a serious toolkit to make Finnish learnable — without gimmicks, fluff, or wasted effort.