Verbs describe movement or action. You’ll need them whenever you want to talk about what you, somebody or something else does, did or wants to do. Essential stuff. Memorize the verbs below and you’ll be well equipped for most basic Finnish conversations.

This lesson is part of the chapter “Learning Finnish“.

Basic Words & Phrases: Verbs

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Important verbs

EnglishFinnishPronunciation
(Audio)
(to) be [Sg]olla
(to) be [Pl]ovat
(to) have [Sg]omistaa
(to) have [Pl]omistavat
(to) do / (to) make [Sg]tehdä
(to) do / (to) make [Pl]tekevät
can / (to) know how to [Sg]voida
can / (to) know how to [Pl]voivat
(to) know (how) [Sg]tietää
(to) know (how) [Pl]tietävät
(to) know / (to) be acquainted with [Sg]tuntea
(to) know / (to) be acquainted with [Pl]tuntevat
(to) understand [Sg]ymmärtää
(to) understand [Pl]ymmärtävät
(to) speak / (to) talk [Sg]puhua
(to) speak / (to) talk [Pl]puhuvat
(to) listen to [Sg]kuunnella
(to) listen to [Pl]kuuntelevat
(to) hear [Sg]kuulla
(to) hear [Pl]kuulevat
(to) see [Sg]nähdä
(to) see [Pl]näkevät
(to) feel [Sg]tuntea
(to) feel [Pl]tuntevat
(to) live [Sg]elää
(to) live [Pl]elävät
(to) want [Sg]haluta
(to) want [Pl]haluavat
(to) need [Sg]tarvita
(to) need [Pl]tarvitsevat
(to) like [Sg]tykätä
(to) like [Pl]tykkäävät
(to) love [Sg]rakastaa
(to) love [Pl]rakastavat
(to) give [Sg]antaa
(to) give [Pl]antavat
(to) take [Sg]ottaa
(to) take [Pl]ottavat
(to) play [Sg]pelata
(to) play [Pl]pelaavat
(to) laugh [Sg]nauraa
(to) laugh [Pl]nauravat
(to) come [Sg]tulla
(to) come [Pl]tulevat
(to) go [Sg]mennä
(to) go [Pl]menevät
(to) go by […] (e.g. by car) [Sg]mennä ohi
(to) go by […] (e.g. by car) [Pl]menevät ohi
(to) write [Sg]kirjoittaa
(to) write [Pl]kirjoittavat
(to) read [Sg]lukea
(to) read [Pl]lukevat
(to) count [Sg]laskea
(to) count [Pl]laskevat
(to) pronounce [Sg]lausua
(to) pronounce [Pl]lausuvat
(to) spell [Sg]tavata
(to) spell [Pl]tavaavat
(to) conjugate [Sg]taivuttaa
(to) conjugate [Pl]taivuttavat
(to) remember [Sg]muistaa
(to) remember [Pl]muistavat
(to) forget [Sg]unohtaa
(to) forget [Pl]unohtavat
(to) eat [Sg]syödä
(to) eat [Pl]syövät
(to) try [Sg]yrittää
(to) try [Pl]yrittävät
(to) use [Sg]käyttää
(to) use [Pl]käyttävät
(to) open [Sg]avata
(to) open [Pl]avaavat
(to) close [Sg]sulkea
(to) close [Pl]sulkevat
(to) greet / (to) welcome [Sg]tervehtiä
(to) greet / (to) welcome [Pl]tervehtivät
(to) begin [Sg]aloittaa
(to) begin [Pl]aloittavat
(to) end [Sg]lopettaa
(to) end [Pl]lopettavat

Vocabulary trainer: Basic Verbs in Finnish

How do you say
(to) count
in Finnish?

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