Swedish is One of the Official Languages in Finland

Last Updated On: January 13, 2022 by The Migration Translators

In Finland, most people speak Finnish and English but there is another language called “Finland Swedish” that is also spoken. While the majority of Finnish citizens speak Finnish as a first language, a significant minority also speak a dialect of Swedish, either as a first or second language. Most Finnish people, like many Scandinavians, have a good understanding of English and find it easy to travel in English language countries like Australia. However, the picture changes when any official documentation is required. Generally, any Finnish person seeking to apply for jobs in Australia or for a visa will be required to produce a number of documents, which will probably be in Finnish or Swedish.

If you are thinking of coming to work in Australia and your native language is Finland Swedish you will need the skills of a NAATI translation service. NAATI translators provide translation services that ensure the translation matches the necessary requirements to gain permission to work in the country. Generally, finding a Finnish English translator is not particularly easy, but any Finnish person who has documents in Swedish will probably find that they will find adequate document translation services, either in their own country or in Australia itself.

Studying the geography and history of the two countries it doesn’t take much of an imagination to believe that the Swedish language would be quite widespread in Finland. At one point in time, Finland was even incorporated into the territorial boundaries of Sweden. Finland’s proximity to Russia meant that the country was always under pressure in relation to language preference but in the end adopted Swedish, which was given official status in the then independent Finland.

When it comes to a professional translation, Finland Swedish is not identical to the Swedish that is found in Sweden, so if any certified translation services are required, the translator needs to be able to understand the nuances between Finland Swedish and the Swedish spoken in Sweden. Grammatically, not many differences will be found between the two languages, but the vocabulary differs somewhat due to the evolution of the language Finns that speak Swedish are small in number in Finland but there are sufficient speakers to mean that under Finnish law it shares the same status as Finnish.