You can for example ask for language-learning colleagues’ opinions. 

Show that you appreciate your colleague’s efforts to learn and use Finnish. 

Think about the kind of support you like when using a foreign language. 

Try not to speak too quickly or use too complex language to ensure comprehensibility. Normal clear speech is enough. 

Assess which of the expressions with the same meaning would be the most familiar to the language learner. 

Focus your message on the essentials and avoid excessive information. 

Do not change languages immediately, but help the learner understand. 

Repeat important words and make sure they are understood correctly. 

Watch your speaking partner’s reactions closely. If they look uncertain, ask them if they need further explanation. 

If a word is a foreign to the speaking partner, explain the word in Finnish. 

Use body language to facilitate understanding. 

Offer explanations or compare words with words from other shared languages. However, do not change the language completely, for example, to English. 

If you notice that a phrase occurs frequently in the workplace, make sure your colleague learns it. 

Tell your colleague about the expected or polite language in the workplace. 

Correct indirectly by repeating the phrase used by your speaking partner in the correct form or ask directly whether they would like you to correct their speech in certain situations.