Finnish dialects

Kavita Pillay wears a red coat and stands near a sign that says "To the ice" in Finnish.

‘It’s never too late’: How learning Finnish taught me to embrace vulnerability 

Language

It’s relatively easy to get by in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, without speaking Finnish. But meeting an American opera singer and a refugee from Iraq here taught reporter Kavita Pillay to embrace the vulnerability of learning a new language. 

Tell us about your experience accessing The World

We want to hear your feedback so we can keep improving our website, theworld.org. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (your answers will be anonymous). Thanks for your time!

We respect your time, attention and privacy

This is a news website, not a click casino. We do NOT employ deceptive behaviors, display annoying ads or use third party cookies and trackers to monetize your visit or help advertisers track you across the internet.

Simply, we ask that you would consider a donation to support the journalism we produce every weekday. Thank you.