Northern Finnic languages facts for kids

The Northern Finnic languages are a group of languages that are part of the larger Finnic languages family. Think of a language family like your own family tree, but for languages! These languages are mostly spoken in countries like Finland, Estonia, and parts of Russia. The most well-known language in this group is Finnish, which is the main language of Finland.

What are Northern Finnic Languages?

The Northern Finnic languages are a special branch of the Uralic languages family. This means they are related to other languages spoken across northern Europe and Asia. The main language in this group is Finnish. It is the official language of Finland and is spoken by most people there.

Finnish: The Main Language

Finnish is the biggest and most widely spoken language among the Northern Finnic languages. It is spoken by millions of people in Finland. It is also spoken by Finnish communities in other countries, like Sweden and Russia. Finnish is known for its unique sounds and long words.

Other Northern Finnic Languages

Besides Finnish, there are four other languages in the Northern Finnic group. These languages are smaller and are spoken by fewer people. They include:

• Ingrian: This language is spoken by the Ingrian people, mostly in parts of Russia.
• Karelian: Spoken in the Republic of Karelia in Russia, and also in parts of Finland.
• Ludic: This language is sometimes seen as a mix between Karelian and Veps. It is spoken in certain areas of Karelia in Russia.
• Veps: This language is spoken by the Veps people in parts of Russia, near the border with Finland.

These languages are important because they help us understand the history of language and the cultures of the people who speak them.