Finnish translation

Frequently asked questions about Finnish translation

What should one consider when ordering a Finnish translation?

Our translation agency’s Finnish translations are crafted by experienced translators and generally edited.  When ordering a Finnish translation, it should be taken into account that it may take slightly more time than our English or Russian translations. This is mainly due to the fact that processes involving thorough and unhurried Finnish translators and editors are simply slightly longer. Despite this, our customers are always satisfied with our Finnish translations, because the systematic thinking, discerning eyes and double-checking of Finnish editors consistently ensures quality translations.

How is the price of Finnish translations determined?

The price level for translations from Finnish, however is generally comparable to those from English or Russian, although the exact price depends on the specific language pair. The term for delivery for Finnish translations may be longer than for English or Russian translation services. This is due to the fact that there are simply fewer Finnish translators available to us than those of English or Russian. The price is also affected by the higher standard of living in Finland. Nevertheless, we always try to find a way to offer discounts to regular customers.

Finnish-language content creation and text editing – what should one consider?

We work with talented Finnish copywriters and have provided Finnish-language content creation to our customers over a number of ambitious projects. Finnish-language copywriting is suitable for you if your marketing communication is directed solely toward the Finnish market. However, if you are also active in the English-speaking market, we can generally offer more affordable content creation in English, which can then be translated and adapted to the Finnish market at a lower total cost. We also provide Finnish-language text editing. For this, we use a Finnish editor who speaks Finnish as a native or second language. If you have doubts about the quality of your Finnish text and wish to have it checked by a Finnish language editor, please contact us and we will make you an excellent offer.

How do I order a Finnish translation?

To order a translation, please send us an e-mail along with the text to be translated, if possible. If you are unable to provide the text at this point, please indicate the approximate number of words to be translated. In addition, please add information about the source and target language, the desired deadline, the function of the translation and the desired format for the completed translation.

We will get back to you as soon as possible, generally in as little as an hour, and will send you a quotation based on the data you have provided. If you are happy with the offer, we will start translating your text immediately. Our agency’s translators always do their best to ensure that your translation is linguistically correct, terminologically accurate and a pleasure to read.

How strong is the influence of the Finnish language?

There are nearly 5 million Finnish speakers in Finland. In addition, there are a total of about one million Finnish speakers in Sweden and Northwest Russia (Karelia). There are also Finnish diasporas, ie minorities living in foreign countries, in Estonia, Norway, the United States, Russia and Canada. Most Finns speak excellent English and their second language is often Swedish. 6% of Finland’s population are Swedes whose mother tongue is Swedish. There are also a significant number of Estonians living in Finland, over 50,000 as of 2015. As the Finnish language is not among the most widely spoken languages ​​in the world and most Finns speak English freely, translating your website, product information, marketing materials, etc into Finnish may not be strictly necessary. The exception being, of course, if Finland is one of your main export markets, in which case there is just no way around it. Luckily, at Transly, your sales materials and product catalogues are in the right hands.

What makes the Finnish language interesting?

The Finnish language is very interesting. There is no grammatical gender in Finnish nor a special form to denote the future. Finnish has 15 cases. The Finnish language is pronounced exactly as it is written (unlike, for example, English or French) One of the longest words in Finnish is “lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas”, which means “student of a state defence school studying to become an assistant mechanic of turbine engine jet planes”. The favourite words of fans of Finnish tongue twisters will undoubtedly include “hyppytyynytyydytys”, which means “the satisfaction of jumping on a bouncy cushion”. And many will know what is perhaps the world’s longest palindrome: “saippuakivikauppias”, which means “caustic soda salesman”.

What are the funniest expressions in Finnish?

The whimsical sense of humour of Finns has enriched the Finnish language with a number of colourful expressions. When Finns are in a hurry, they say “juosta pää kolmantena jalkana”, meaning “to run while using one’s head as a third leg”. When Finns question someone’s sanity, they say “Olla kaikki muumit laaksossa?”, which directly translates into “Are all of the Moomins in the valley?” When Finns are in a bad mood, however, they are said to be “kuin perseeseen ammuttu karhu”, ie “like a bear shot in the bum”. Many linguists will enjoy the Finnish expression “Vihdoin vihdoin vihdoin”, which translates into “I finally whipped myself with a sauna whisk”. And the Finnish word for nitpicker is “pilkunnussija”, which, delicately put, translates into “a person who has sexual intercourse with commas”.

What should one consider when entering the Finnish market?

Thanks to a high standard of living and an honest business culture, Finland can be a very attractive export market. Here are some distinctive features of Finns which are worth taking into account when entering the Finnish market.

• Finnish business culture is characterised by individualism and autonomy. Finns are independent workers and experts are highly valued.
• Flat organisational structures and teams without leaders are common. Finnish business culture is characterised by soft leadership, distribution of power between all team members, and an atmosphere wherein each employee is valued and respected.
• Changes are implemented slowly. In Finland, reforms and developments can often take years, because leaders are extremely cautious in adopting changes, and every risk is weighed carefully.
• Organisation of work is systematic. Finns are careful planners and follow commonly agreed procedures. Employees do not do overtime, meetings are never postponed, work is submitted on time and agreements are fixed in writing.
• Finns are quiet and reserved and always remain polite. Emotions are kept in check at work. Team members are respectful towards one another. Leaders are supportive and respectful towards their subordinates.
• Employment relationships are formed with caution, because dismissing workers is very difficult in Finland. Attentiveness and deep consideration are also employed when forming partnerships.

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