Finnish is one of the Finno-Ugrian languages. This group also includes Hungarian, Estonian, Lapp and several lesser-known languages spoken in Russia. Some consider Finnish a hard language to learn, but the beauty of the language makes it worthwhile. The frequency of vowels used in Finnish gives it a very pleasant sound.
Finnish has regional dialects and different social variants (jargons, slang, etc.). Colloquial Finnish often differs markedly from the standard language. Therefore, the sentences you might learn in class differ from the ones people use in everyday life, though the meaning is the same.
California
Finnish Language School of Silicon Valley
Address: P.O. BOX 4032, Los Altos, CA 94024
Email: sv_suomikoulu@yahoo.com
The Scandinavian School of San Francisco Bay
Address: 20 Woodside Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127
Email: htervahauta@scandinavianschool.org or alampinen@scandinavianschool.org
Santa Monica
Address: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Parish Hall), 958 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Orange County
Address: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach, CA 92663
Finnish School of San Diego
Address: 16889 Espola Rd, Poway, CA 92064
Email: info@sandiegonsuomikoulu.org
District of Columbia
Finnish School of Washington
Address: 6201 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22205
Email: info@suomikouludc.org
Georgia
Finnish Language School of Atlanta
Address: St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, 571 Holt Road, Marietta, GA 30068
Email: vernatbush@gmail.com
Illinois
Finnish School of Chicago
Address: 14700 Estonian Ln, Riverwoods, IL 60015
Email: chicagosuomikoulu@gmail.com
Massachusetts
Finnish School of New England
Email: https://sites.google.com/site/bostonsuomikoulu/ryhmat
Minnesota
Finnish School of Minneapolis
Address: 3244 34th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Email: finnishschoolofmn@gmail.com
New York
Finnish School of New York
Address: 83 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014
Email: info@newyorkinsuomikoulu.com
Flinguu - Learn Finnish online
Email: info@flinguu.com
Oregon
Finnish School of Portland
Email: portlandfinnishschool@gmail.com
Texas
Finnish Language School of North Texas
Address: 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039
Email: puheenjohtaja@suomi-koulu.com
Website: http://www.suomi-koulu.com/yhteystiedot/ohjaajat/
Washington
Finnish School of Seattle
Address: Living Hope Lutheran Church, 7305 208th Avenue NE, Redmond, WA 98053
Email: principal_teacher@finnishschoolofseattle.org
Berkeley, CA
University of California, Berkeley, Finnish Studies Program
Address: 6303 Dwinelle Hall, #2690, Berkeley, CA 94720-2690
Tel. +1-510-643 2931
Prof. John Lindow (lindow(at)berkeley.edu)
Sirpa Tuomainen (sirpa(at)berkeley.edu)
Virve Kahri (virve(at)berkeley.edu)
Website: http://ies.berkeley.edu/fsp/
Bloomington, IN
Indiana University, Department of Central Eurasian Studies
Address: Goodbody Hall 157, Bloomington, IN 47405
Tel. +1-812-855 4862
Prof. Toivo Raun (raunt(at)indiana.edu)
Dr. Pia Päiviö (ppaivio(at)indiana.edu)
Maija Ohvo (mohvo(at)indiana.edu)
Tapio Hokkanen (thokkane@indiana.edu)
Website: http://www.indiana.edu/~ceus/index.shtml
Eugene, OR
University of Oregon, Department of German and Scandinavian
Address: 1250 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1250
Tel. +1-541-346 4051
Prof. Susan Anderson (susana(at)uoregon.edu)
Elina Hietaranta (elina(at)uoregon.edu)
Website: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~gerscan/
Hancock, MI
Finlandia University, Finnish Studies
Address, 601 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI 49930 1882
Tel. +1-906-487 7273
Anna Leppänen (anna.leppanen(at)finlandia.edu)
Kaisa Randolph (kaisa.randolph(at)finlandia.edu)
Website: http://www.finlandia.edu/
Madison, WI
University of Wisconsin, Department of Scandinavian Studies
Address: 1306 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706
Tel. +1-608-262 2090 or 262 2220
Prof. Thomas A. DuBois (tadubois(at)wisc.edu)
Website: http://scandinavian.wisc.edu/
Minneapolis, MN
University of Minnesota, Department of German, Scandinavian and Dutch
Address: 205 Folwell Hall, 9 Pleasant Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455-0124
Tel. +1-612-626-1651
Daniel Karvonen (karvo001(at)umn.edu)
Nina Tikkanen (tikka009(at)umn.edu)
Website: http://www.gsd.umn.edu
New York, N.Y.
Columbia University, Department of Germanic Languages, Program in Finnish
Address: 319 Hamilton Hall MC 2812, New York, NY 10027
Tel. +1-212-854 7859
Lasse Suominen (ls2756(at)columbia.edu)
Leena Maria Heikkola (lh2446(at)columbia.edu)
Website: http://www.columbia.edu/
Portland, OR
Portland State University, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Address: 393 Neuberger Hall, Portland, OR 97207-0751
Tel. +1-503-725 3522
Marjo Northup (northupm(at)yahoo.com)
Website: http://www.fll.pdx.edu/
Provo, UT
Brigham Young University
Address: 105 HCEB, Provo, UT 84602
Tel. +1-801-378 6282
Wade Hollingshaus (wadeh(at)byu.edu)
Aino Larsen
Website: http://www.byu.edu/
Seattle, WA
University of Washington, Scandinavian Department
Address: Box 353420, Seattle, WA 98195-3420
Tel. +1-206-543 0645
Prof. Andrew Nestingen (akn(at)u.washington.edu)
Karoliina Kuisma (kuisma(at)u.washington.edu)
Anna Rönkkö (annaron(at)u.washington.edu)
Mia Spangenberg (spangm(at)u.washington.edu)
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/finnish/
