Phrases for the break room

The printable notebook is a practical tool for a multilingual workplace. It provides useful phrases for Finnish language learners and tips for colleagues to support language learning.
Two women talking and drinking coffee at a break room.
Photo: Emmi Pollari. All rights reserved.

Video: Phrases for the break room

Colloquial and standard use of language

All phrases are also given in standard Finnish (so called "kirjakieli") and in English. Listen to the phrases and learn what is the difference between colloquial and standard use of language.

Tips for Finnish-speaking colleagues

On this page, there are tips on how a Finnish-speaking colleague can speak clearly and encourage you to speak Finnish. Page is in Finnish.

Kuvituskuva
Everyday language use at work

Print the tips as a table booklet for the workplace coffee room!

The booklet has two sides: On one side there are useful phrases for Finnish language learners. On the other side are tips for colleagues on how to support a coworker who is learning Finnish.

Seisova kierrevihko Fraaseista ja vinkeistä monikieliseen kahvihuoneeseen

Instructions for printing

You can either have the booklet printed at a print shop or print the pages with a regular printer. Below are the instructions.

Printing the triangular booklet at a print shop:

You can provide your print shop with the information below and the attached file ("painotiedosto").

  • Size: 210 x 148 mm.
  • Number of pages: 34 pages + triangular cardboard backing.
  • The pages are printed so that the text can be read correctly from both sides of the triangular cardboard.
  • Pages on Silk 200 g paper.
  • Triangular backing on 300 g cardboard.
  • Wire binding at the top.
  • Color printing and die-cutting for the triangular backing.

Printing the booklet pages with a regular printer:

Use the digital ("digitaalinen") file for printing, not the print file. Note that the file's pages are designed for A5 size. 
If you want to print only the tips or only the phrases, use separate files below.

Separate Files

Below you can download for printing only the learner's phrases or only the Finnish learner support tips.

©2023 University of Helsinki

Phrases and tips for the multilingual break room, November 2023, produced by the University of Helsinki and Aalto University, with authors Emmi Pollari and Jenni Lintumäki, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The material is available at kielibuusti.fi.

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