How I Learned Finnish (with Ohe)

Oheneba "Ohe" Poku-Marboah
  • 0.0 (0)
  • LANGUAGE LEARNING

An interview series where I interview people who have learned Finnish to a high level on how they did it. How to learn Finnish or any language. I pretended I didn't know English for an entire year so that I could become fluent in the Finnish language. I will tell you how I did it and interview others to share how they achieved fluency and on how to remove the friction from achieving your language learning goals and how to learn efficiently.

Episodes

  1. AUG 4

    007: I Didn't Wait To Be Included, I Learned The Language To Belong - Magdalene

    Join us for an inspiring conversation with Magdalene Awahnde, a nursing manager in Finland. In this episode, Magdalene shares her journey from Cameroon to Finland, her challenges and triumphs in learning the Finnish language, and her rise in the healthcare sector. Discover her key strategies for overcoming language barriers, her motivational tips for aspiring immigrants, and how her determination and positive attitude opened doors to remarkable opportunities. Magdalene's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of embracing opportunities. Don't miss this insightful and motivational episode! 🎙️ Welcome to How I Learned Finnish – with Ohe. Helping immigrants thrive (not just survive) by mastering one of the world’s toughest languages. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this inspired you or made you think differently about language learning. 00:00 Intro 00:48 Meet Magdalene 01:57 Journey to Finland: Love and Education 02:41 Nicknames and Cultural Connections 03:13 Learning Finnish: Challenges and Motivations 07:25 First Steps in Finland: Education and Early Career 12:52 Navigating the Finnish Job Market 19:51 Overcoming Language Barriers in Nursing 32:20 A Brief Move to the US and Return to Finland 35:34 Resources and Methods for Learning Finnish 41:09 Multidisciplinary Team Meetings 41:21 Observations on Learning Finnish 42:29 Challenges in the Job Market 43:37 Adapting to Life in Finland 45:24 Importance of Learning Finnish 47:10 Active and Passive Learning Strategies 47:43 Role of Family in Language Learning 53:33 Integration and Cultural Adaptation 01:14:16 Motivation and Overcoming Challenges 01:20:04 Encouragement and Final Thoughts #FinnishLanguage #ImmigrantSuccess #LanguageLearningJourney #LifeInFinland #CameroonToFinland #NursingInFinland #HealthcareLeadership #WomenInHealthcare #FinnishHealthcare #InspiringStories #MotivationalPodcast #FromStruggleToSuccess #PerseverancePaysOff #LearnFinnish #ImmigrantVoices #AfricanDiaspora#NursingManager #FinnishIntegration #FinlandPodcast #RealTalkFinland

    1h 24m

  2. JUL 28

    006: "Stop Saying It's Too Hard, That's Why You're Stuck" - Emily

    Meet Emily, an entrepreneur and hairdresser who shares her unique strategies, challenges, and experiences that shaped her language-learning process. In this episode, we dive deep into Emily's journey of learning Finnish. From studying abroad to integrating into Finnish society, Emily covers essential topics like vocabulary building, speaking, listening, grammar, reading, and writing. She also discusses the importance of mindset, staying motivated, and leveraging resources like podcasts, books, and online platforms to master Finnish. Learn how Emily overcame the hurdles of learning a new language and how you can apply her insights to your language-learning journey. 🎙️ Welcome to How I Learned Finnish – with OheHelping immigrants thrive (not just survive) by mastering one of the world’s toughest languages. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this inspired you or made you think differently about language learning. 00:00 Introduction 00:51 Meet Emily 02:59 Life in Finland 04:04 Learning Finnish: Challenges and Strategies 08:16 Work and Language Integration 09:27 Effective Learning Resources 13:46 The Role of Technology in Learning 15:38 Reaching Proficiency Levels 18:11 Test Preparation and Strategies 30:58 Observations on Language Learning 33:55 Understanding the Challenges of Learning Finnish 35:03 Overcoming the Fear of Making Mistakes 36:47 Unconventional Learning Strategies 38:43 The Importance of Practice and Immersion 39:50 Balancing Active and Passive Learning 43:15 Integrating into Finnish Society 46:43 The Role of Personal Relationships in Language Learning 50:44 Common Obstacles and Encouragement 56:12 Effective Language Learning Techniques 01:06:12 The Benefits of Speaking the Local Language #LearnFinnish #FinnishLanguage #LanguageLearningJourney #LanguageMotivation #LanguageTips #FinnishGrammar #VocabularyBuilding #SpeakFinnish #ListenAndLearn#StudyAbroadFinland #LifeInFinland #ImmigrantExperience #ExpatInFinland#FinnishForBeginners #LanguageMindset #PodcastEpisode #LanguageLearningPodcast #HairdresserInFinland #EntrepreneurInFinland #MasterFinnish #LanguageLearningTips #FinnishVocabulary #ReadingInFinnish #WritingInFinnish #OnlineLanguageLearning

    1h 11m

  3. JUL 21

    005: From Zero to Finnish Law School in 3 years ( Deborah Laajanen)

    In this episode, we delve into the inspiring journey of Deborah Laajanen, a lawyer from the Philippines who managed to get accepted into a Finnish law school despite being in Finland for just a few years. Deborah shares her struggles and strategies for learning Finnish to an advanced level, including the use of resources like Suomen mestari, podcasts, and integrating herself into Finnish society. She also discusses the motivation behind her efforts, the role of discipline, and the importance of setting concrete goals. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone facing the daunting task of learning a new language, especially in a new country.🎙️ Welcome to How I Learned Finnish – with OheHelping immigrants thrive (not just survive) by mastering one of the world’s toughest languages.👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this inspired you or made you think differently about language learning. Table of Content 00:00 - Intro 00:43 - Meet Deborah Laajanen 03:11 - Deborah's Journey to Finland 04:58 - Learning Finnish and Integration 09:10 - Facing Professional Hurdles 15:32 - Effective Learning Strategies 20:40 - Resources and Tools for Learning Finnish 24:26 - Advanced Finnish Proficiency 31:16 - Immersion and Integration Programs 34:52 - Unconventional Learning Methods 39:21 - Integrating Finnish into Daily Life 39:48 - Active vs. Passive Learning Strategies 40:30 - Overcoming Language Barriers 41:33 - Setting and Achieving Language Goals 42:52 - Immersive Learning Techniques 43:47 - Challenges and Mindset in Language Learning 47:19 - Importance of Integration and Community 58:56 - Personal Stories and Cultural Connections 01:02:01 - Rapid Fire Language Learning Tips 01:11:07 - Encouragement and Final Thoughts #LearnFinnish #FinnishLanguage #FinnishFluency#LanguageLearningJourney #FinnishLessons #SuomenMestari #LanguageMotivation #StudyInFinland #LawStudentLife #LawStudies #InternationalStudent #ExpatInFinland #MovingToFinland #FinnishCulture #LanguageLearningTips #StudyAbroadFinland #LanguageGoals #BecomingFluent #FinnishForBeginners #FinnishLawSchool #LearningLanguages #FluencyTips #PodcastEpisode #StudyMotivation #ExpatLifeFinland

    1h 16m

  4. JUL 15

    004 Why Duolingo Failed, Paying for 100 Lunches and Trying To Become a Refugee (Erik Åkesson)

    What if the best way to learn Finnish isn’t in a classroom — but at lunch with an 85-year-old stranger? Meet Erik Åkesson, a Swedish dad of four, former global head of FX trading, and now a Finnish speaker thanks to one of the most original language learning methods I’ve ever heard. He didn’t qualify for integration courses. So what did he do? He offered to buy lunch for anyone willing to speak Finnish with him — and ended up having over 100 lunches with strangers. In this episode, we talk about: Why Duolingo didn’t work The power of non-reversible promises Finnish vs Swedish education systems The dark side of “easy English in Finland” Why the government should fund immigrant-lonely elderly lunches And why, if you're serious about learning Finnish, this method might be your new secret weapon. 🎙️ Welcome to How I Learned Finnish – with OheHelping immigrants thrive (not just survive) by mastering one of the world’s toughest languages. 👉Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this inspired you or made you think differently about language learning. 00:00 Introduction and Initial Struggles 00:51 Meet Erik Åkesson 01:38 Life Journey and Career Moves 03:11 Challenges in Learning Finnish 05:22 Innovative Methods to Learn Finnish 06:55 The Power of Social Interaction 11:45 Reflections on Language Learning 13:36 The Role of Older Generations 15:37 Final Thoughts and Recommendations 31:11 Challenges of Learning Finnish 31:25 Passive and Active Learning Strategies 33:11 Balancing Multiple Languages 34:18 Making Irreplaceable Promises 36:43 Diversity and Integration in Finland 45:59 Difficulties of Learning Finnish 56:07 Commitment and Social Integration 58:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Finnish language, learning Finnish, how to learn Finnish, Finnish fluency, language learning tips, integration in Finland, immigrant experience Finland, Duolingo, language immersion, lunch with locals, language hacks, adult language learning, suomen kieli, suomi, Erik Åkesson, podcast Finland, Finnish for immigrants, unconventional language methods, language and identity, retired mentors, language motivation #LearnFinnish #FinnishLanguage #LanguageLearning #ImmigrantsInFinland #HowILearnedFinnish #SuomenKieli #IntegrationInFinland #LanguageFluency #DuolingoFail #LanguageMotivation #LunchToFluency #FinlandLife #RetiredMentors #ImmigrantStories #Suomi

    59 min

  5. JUL 4

    003: I Lost Custody Of My Kids Because.. (Anita Anttila) | Language Learning Tips

    Anita Anttila shares her compelling journey of moving to Finland nearly 30 years ago and her struggles to learn the Finnish language amidst personal challenges, including losing custody of her children due to a misunderstanding of legal documents. She dives into the language learning methods she tried, both successful and unsuccessful, the importance of daily practices to learn the language. Anita emphasizes the need for intentional learning, integrating into society, and not being ashamed of making mistakes. Her story highlights resilience and the importance of truly immersing oneself in the language to understand and be understood in a new country. —- Contents of the video —— 00:00 intro 07:49 Too busy with kids at start 10:56 Switch from the english way of thinking 20:54 Resources used 24:13 Useless practice methods 26:35 Observations about other people 29:46 Surprising or unconventional things 34:02 Passive actions that help 48:05 Tired Brain 57:35 Why others fail 01:00:16 6 parts to learning a language 01:00:43 Vocabulary 01:03:21 Speaking Practice 01:03:52 Listening Comprehension 01:04:06 Grammar 01:05:45 Writing 01:06:36 Moments of difficulty 01:11:52 Words of encouragement 01:16:24 Exit

    1h 17m

  6. JUN 10

    #002 How I Achieved Fluency in Finnish in Just One Year! | Language Learning Tips

    How I Achieved Fluency in Finnish in Just One Year! | Language Learning Tips In 2022, I embarked on a radical experiment — I pretended not to speak English for an entire year in order to immerse myself in Finnish and reach fluency as an adult. My journey of mastering the Finnish language in just one year starting from a weak level! In this episode of 'How I Learned,' I reveal the key elements that helped me achieve high-level fluency by the end of 2022. From setting specific targets and creating a language immersion environment to utilizing podcasts, books, and articles, I provide actionable tips that can help you learn any language. Learn about the six essential components of language learning—vocabulary, speaking, listening, grammar, reading, and writing—and discover how I overcame challenges, kept myself motivated, and adapted my strategies along the way. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to refine your skills, this video is packed with valuable advice for achieving your language learning goals. Don’t miss out—watch now and get inspired to take your linguistic abilities to the next level! 00:00 Intro 00:59 My Story 01:24 Affecting my pockets 03:01 My Goal 04:45 How others learnt fast 05:06 Pretend you don't speak English 07:17 Daily Podcasts 09:00 Vocabulary into Excel 12:01 ChatGPT can be bad for this 12:54 Translated phrase bank 14:15 Books 17:07 Articles 17:53 Sit down to study 19:16 Your relationships 19:49 Integration with locals 21:10 The HOW wrap-up

    22 min

  7. JUN 2

    #001 Intro - Learning The Finnish Language: From Surviving to Thriving

    So you want to learn the Finnish language. How, you ask? How I learnt Finnish is a podcast that shows you the choices, daily habits, lifestyle and changes that people who have successfully learned Finnish as adults did to get to learn a language - any language. This is my way of helping you to also achieve this very difficult goal.

    2 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

An interview series where I interview people who have learned Finnish to a high level on how they did it. How to learn Finnish or any language. I pretended I didn't know English for an entire year so that I could become fluent in the Finnish language. I will tell you how I did it and interview others to share how they achieved fluency and on how to remove the friction from achieving your language learning goals and how to learn efficiently.

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