Europe
Online English lessons for children in Finland: irregular spelling, he and she, and a and the
Quick answer
Children in Finland usually start English early at school, and live 1-to-1 online lessons practise its spellings, articles and he and she. CurioKids teaches children aged 4 to 12 in live, 1-to-1, 25-minute online lessons with a real teacher. If lessons for families in Finland haven't opened yet, our Finland page has a waitlist.
Children in Finland usually start their first foreign language, most often English, in the first years of school. Finnish spelling is so regular that English, with its odd spellings, articles and he and she, can come as a surprise. Live 1-to-1 lessons online give your child time to practise exactly those things with a teacher. This guide explains school English in Finland, the usual stumbling blocks for Finnish speakers, and how to help at home.
- By CurioKids teamHow we write our guides
- Published
- Updated
- 7 min read
Key takeaways
- School in Finland starts in the year a child turns seven, after a pre-primary year, and the first foreign language, most often English, begins in the first years of school.
- Finnish spelling is very regular, so English spelling needs to be taught as a system of its own, which is what phonics does.
- Finnish has no he and she distinction and no articles, so he, she, a and the need patient practice.
- Programmes for young children are usually dubbed, so younger children may hear less English than older ones.
On this page
When do children in Finland start learning English?
Children in Finland start their first foreign language in the first years of school, and most often that language is English. School starts in the year a child turns seven, after a pre-primary year. Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish, and Swedish-speaking schools exist too, so for some children English joins two languages they already use.
Your child's school is the best source for when English starts in their class and what it covers. If your child is curious about English before school begins, there is no reason to make them wait: a playful start at five or six can make the first school lessons feel familiar.
Why does English spelling surprise Finnish children?
Finnish spelling is very regular: one letter, one sound. English does not work like that. The same letters make different sounds in different words, and the same sound can be spelled in several ways, as in to, too and two.
That is why phonics is so useful for Finnish speakers. It teaches English letter sounds step by step, starting with short, regular words. Our guide to CVC words shows how simple words such as cat, sun and pig make a good first step, and spelling and dictation at home has ideas for practising spelling without tears.
Which grammar points need extra practice for Finnish speakers?
A few features of English have no direct match in Finnish. Children are not getting it wrong out of carelessness: they are meeting something genuinely new.
| In Finnish | In English | What you might hear |
|---|---|---|
| One word, hän, for he and she | he and she are different words | "My mum, he is at work" |
| No articles | a and the go before nouns | "I have dog" or "Look at cat" |
| Double letters make a sound longer, and length changes meaning | A double letter does not make a sound longer: the pp in happy is one p sound | Holding the pp or tt in happy or letter |
These slips are normal and fade with plenty of listening and speaking. Gentle repetition works better than correcting every sentence: if your child says "my mum, he", you can simply reply "Oh, she's at work?" and let them hear it the right way.
Does my child hear enough English from television?
It depends on their age. In Finland, films and series for older viewers are usually subtitled rather than dubbed, but programmes for young children are usually dubbed. So a younger child may hear much less English on screen than an older brother or sister.
Listening also only goes so far. Understanding English is one skill, and speaking it is another. Children need someone to talk with, a chance to try, and a reply that helps them try again. That is the part a 1-to-1 lesson adds.
What do lessons look like before and after school starts?
Children aged 4 to 12 can all enjoy English when lessons match their stage.
- Four to six. Before school, English is play: songs, rhymes, puppets and games with lots of listening and copying. No reading pressure at all.
- Six to eight. As your child starts school and learns to read in Finnish or Swedish, phonics introduces English letter sounds as a separate set of rules.
- Eight to twelve. Older children can chat about their hobbies, read short books and write a few sentences. They are often ready to notice the differences between Finnish and English for themselves.
The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is used across Europe to describe language levels. The first levels for young learners are Pre-A1, A1 and A2, which gives you a simple way to follow your child's progress over the years.
How can I support English at home in Finland?
You don't need to speak English well to help. A short 25-minute lesson once or twice a week, plus a few minutes of English on other days, builds steady progress.
- Read English picture books together, and keep reading in Finnish or Swedish too.
- Play a he or she game with family photos: point to a person and say who they are in English.
- Make a habit of an English song on the way to school or at bath time.
- Ask your child to teach you one English word after each lesson.
How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Finland?
CurioKids gives children aged 4 to 12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons with a real teacher, 25 minutes each, in the CurioKids online classroom with video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter; a child who already reads can be placed straight into a CEFR-based level after the free first lesson. Phonics Starter is our 52-lesson reading course, from letter sounds to reading sentences. Teachers can't teach until our team has confirmed a background check and they have signed our teaching agreement. Lessons happen only inside the CurioKids classroom, and your child's teacher gives feedback after lessons. See our levels and safety pages for more.
For a child in Finland who is used to one letter making one sound, Phonics Starter introduces English letter sounds step by step, so the less regular spellings make sense.
Visit our Finland page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Finland haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in Finland are priced in euros: see the prices for Finland.
Frequently asked questions
When do children in Finland start English at school?
Children start their first foreign language in the first years of school, most often English. School begins in the year a child turns seven, after a pre-primary year.
Why does my child mix up he and she in English?
Finnish uses one word, hän, for both he and she, so English asks your child to make a choice Finnish never asks for. It improves with listening and gentle repetition.
Can my child start English before school, at five or six?
Yes. A playful, spoken start with songs and games suits this age well, and it means English feels familiar when lessons begin at school.
We speak Swedish at home and Finnish outside. Is English one language too many?
Not usually. Children can learn several languages side by side, and mixing words for a while is normal. Keep English light and enjoyable and it can grow alongside the others.