Intermediate Finnish (S2) · IWG Institute · Courses

Intermediate Finnish for International Employees (S2). More confidence in using Finnish.

IWG Institute's S2 Intermediate Course is a practical Finnish language course for international employees who already know the basics of the language and manage ordinary everyday situations. The course strengthens participants' readiness to use Finnish more actively at work and in free time. The course expands vocabulary, practises longer conversations, and develops listening and speaking comprehension. It also strengthens written communication and teaches participants to use grammar more versatilely in practical situations. The aim is for participants to be able to talk about matters in more detail than before, understand workplace communication better, and participate in conversations more confidently and independently. The training supports progress toward A2-level language proficiency and builds a foundation for later studies. The training can be delivered as company-specific group training or as personal 1:1 coaching online, at the company's own premises, or in a hybrid format.

Finnish 🇫🇮 · Taught in English 🇬🇧
International employees Basics of Finnish required International & multilingual teams Progress toward A2
Professional language training online and onsite across Finland — including Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Vaasa, Kuopio, Lahti and Pori.
45+
Years of experience
4.9/5
Trainer rating
3
Delivery formats
The Challenge

When basic skills are not yet enough for active participation

An employee who has mastered the basics of Finnish may manage ordinary everyday situations, but participating in workplace conversations can still be difficult. Speech moves quickly, instructions contain unfamiliar words, and forming one's own thoughts in Finnish takes time.

An employee may understand the main point of a conversation, but the details remain unclear. They may be able to answer short questions, but explaining a problem, asking for more information, or presenting their own suggestion still requires practice. Understanding emails, announcements, and other workplace texts can also feel challenging.

In the S2 Intermediate Course, basic skills are gradually turned into more active and usable language skills. The course practises the Finnish that participants need in their real work and everyday situations. The goal is not perfect language skills, but more confident and independent communication than before.

The content of the training can be adapted to the organisation's industry and participants' job duties. Exercises may use, for example, workplace instructions, messages, announcements, and the most common customer and interaction situations.

The course practises, among other things:

  • •participating in longer workplace conversations
  • •asking, clarifying, and explaining matters
  • •talking about one's own job tasks and the events of the workday
  • •understanding work instructions, announcements, and ordinary texts
  • •describing problem situations and suggesting simple solutions
  • •expressing opinions
  • •writing short emails and work messages
  • •expanding vocabulary for work and free time
  • •developing listening and speech comprehension
  • •using tenses, case forms, and more versatile sentence structures

Teaching is based on participants' starting level and real everyday and workplace communication situations. The pace of progress and content are adapted to the group's needs. The training strengthens basic-level language proficiency and supports progress toward A2 level.

Who is the training suitable for?

International employees who already have a grasp of basic Finnish

Employees who manage ordinary everyday situations in Finnish
Participants who have completed the S2 Basic Course
Employees who understand simple instructions but need more confidence in applying them
International professionals who want to participate more actively in the work community's conversations
Employees who need Finnish in customer and service situations
People who have worked longer in Finland and want to develop both their spoken and written language skills

The training is suitable for participants who can introduce themselves, understand the most common words and expressions, and can form simple sentences in Finnish.

Participants do not yet need to speak fluently. The purpose of the course is to strengthen what has already been learned and help them use Finnish more confidently, versatilely, and independently. If needed, the starting level can be assessed before the training begins.

See also: Advanced Finnish for International Employees (S2) — the next level, for employees who already use Finnish at work and want more fluency, precision and range.→
Benefits of the Training

What do participants get from the training?

More confidence speaking Finnish at work and in free time
Readiness to participate in longer workplace conversations than before
A broader vocabulary for common work and interaction situations
The ability to ask for more information, clarify matters, and explain simply
Better readiness to understand work instructions, announcements, messages, and other common texts
The ability to talk about their workday, tasks, and events in more detail than before
Readiness to describe problem situations and suggest simple solutions
The ability to write short emails, messages, and other work texts
More versatile sentence structures and confidence in using grammar
A stronger foundation for further Finnish studies and progress toward A2 level
Implementation

Flexibly, according to your organisation's needs

Company-specific group training

A practical group course in Finnish for international employees who already know the basics of the language. The course's vocabulary, exercises, and communication situations can be adapted to the organisation's industry, participants' job duties, and real language-use situations at the workplace.

Personal 1:1 coaching

Individual training for an employee who wants to develop their Finnish language skills at their own pace. The coaching may focus, for example, on workplace conversations, customer communication, written work tasks, or grammar structures that are challenging for the particular participant. Content and pace are tailored to the participant's needs.

Online, at the company's premises, or as hybrid training

The training can be organized online, at the company's own premises, or as a hybrid combining both. The schedule, number of sessions, and implementation method are adapted to participants' work shifts and the organisation's practical needs.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What level of Finnish do participants need before starting?+
The training is suitable for participants who can introduce themselves, understand the most common words and expressions, and can form simple sentences in Finnish. Participants do not yet need to speak fluently. If needed, the starting level can be assessed before the training begins so that the pace and content fit the group.
What language is the course taught in?+
The course is taught in English. Instructions, explanations and grammar points are given in English, while the Finnish being learned is used and practised throughout the sessions. This keeps the course accessible to international employees whose Finnish is still developing, without slowing down the practice itself.
Do participants need to have completed the S2 Basic Course first?+
No. Participants who have completed the S2 Basic Course move naturally into this one, but it is not a requirement. What matters is the current starting level rather than where it was reached: anyone who manages ordinary everyday situations in Finnish and can form simple sentences will be in the right place. The starting level can be assessed before the training begins.
What level will participants reach?+
The training strengthens basic-level language proficiency and supports progress toward A2 level. How far a group gets depends on its starting level, the number of sessions, and how much participants use Finnish between them, so the course is designed to build and consolidate skills rather than to guarantee a certified level.
Does the course cover written communication as well as speaking?+
Yes. Alongside longer conversations, participants practise writing short emails and work messages, and understanding the instructions, announcements and ordinary texts that circulate at the workplace. Written workplace communication is often where intermediate learners feel least confident, so it is a deliberate part of the course rather than an afterthought.
Can the content be adapted to our industry and our employees' job duties?+
Yes. The content of the training can be adapted to the organisation's industry and participants' job duties. Exercises may use, for example, workplace instructions, messages, announcements, and the most common customer and interaction situations from your own workplace.
Is the course suitable for employees in customer-facing roles?+
Yes. Employees who need Finnish in customer and service situations are among the groups this course is designed for. Exercises can be built around the customer and interaction situations participants meet in their own work, so the language practised is the language they will actually use.
Is training available online or only in person?+
The training can be organized online, at the company's own premises, or as a hybrid combining both. The schedule, number of sessions, and implementation method are adapted to participants' work shifts and the organisation's practical needs. Onsite training is available across Finland, including Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Vaasa, Kuopio, Lahti and Pori.
How do we get a quote for our team?+
Contact Maria Kunz, Director of Studies, directly at +358 (0) 40 5877 142 or via the contact form on this website. She will arrange a brief discovery call to understand your employees' starting levels, the number of participants, and your preferred schedule and format. A tailored proposal is typically delivered within 3–5 working days. There is no obligation, and the initial consultation is free.

Interested in Intermediate Finnish for International Employees (S2) training?

Language training is not the goal. Professional impact is.

Get in Touch →

Maria Kunz · Director of Studies · +358 (0) 40 5877 142 · iwginstitute.com