Saturday, September 20, 2014

Finnish verbs 'voida, 'pystyä, 'saada' and 'osata'

These four verbs that very common and useful.




Voida


to be able to, to 'can' something 


  • Mä voin auttaa sua. - I can help you. I have the skill and the time, and there's nothing stopping me from helping you. 
  • Voinko mä tuoda jotain? - Can I bring something?
  • Voitko odottaa vähän aikaa? - Can you wait for a while?
  • Voisitko sä avata oven? - Could you open the door?
  • Notice that voida is also to feel.


Pystyä


Pystyä and voida are the same, but sometimes pystyä sounds a little bit stronger. Notice the use of maan infinitive with the second verb.


Saada


to get, to receive

  • Keneltä sä sait tämän? - From whom did you get this?
  • Mä en saanut sitä sähköpostia. - I didn't receive that email. 

to have a permission

  • Saanko mä sanoa jotain? - May I say something?
  • Saatko sä jo uida? - Are you allowed to swim already?
  • Te ette saa tulla tänne! - You are not allowed to come here.
  • Miksi mä en saa koskaan tehdä mitään kivaa?! - Why can't I ever do anything fun?!

to get things done


Osata


to know how to do something or to master a skill or a language

  • Mä osaan auttaa sua. - I can help you. I know what to do. 
  • Miksi mä en osaa tehdä tätä? - Why can't I do this?
  • Osaatteko te tulla meille? - Do you know how to get to my place?
  • Osaatko sä ranskaa? - Do you know French?


About the author of Random Finnish lesson: 


My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please read more in www.linktr.ee/hannamannikkolahti and follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new. 


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