Basic Finnish Verbs

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.

Contents

Important verbs
Vocabulary trainer: Basic Verbs in Finnish
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This lesson is part of the chapter “Learning Finnish“.

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Important verbs

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

Vocabulary trainer: Basic Verbs in Finnish

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(to) hear
in Finnish?

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