Finnish Verbs
Welcome to the 10th lesson about verbs in Finnish. We will first learn about the present tense, followed by the past tense, and future tense. We will also analyze some grammar rules, and finally practice how to ask for direction in Finnish.
Verbs are used to express an action (I swim) or a state of being (I am). The present tense in Finnish conveys a situation or event in the present time. Here are some examples:
| Present Tense | Finnish |
|---|---|
| I speak English | puhun englantia  |
| you speak French | puhut ranskaa |
| he speaks German | hän puhuu saksaa |
| she speaks Italian | hän puhuu italiaa |
| we speak Arabic | puhumme arabiaa |
| they speak Chinese | he puhuvat kiinaa |
The past tense in Finnish conveys a situation or event in the past time. Here are some examples:
| Past Tense | Finnish |
|---|---|
| I visited France | kävin ranskassa |
| you visited Italy | kävit italiassa |
| he visited Morocco | hän vieraili marokossa |
| she visited China | hän vieraili kiinassa |
| we visited Mexico | kävimme meksikossa |
| they visited Kenya | he vierailivat keniassa |
The future tense in Finnish conveys a situation or event which is anticipated to happen in the future. Here are some examples:
| Future Tense | Finnish |
|---|---|
| I will drink milk | juon maitoa |
| you will drink coffee | juot kahvia |
| he will drink tea | hän juo teetä |
| she will drink water | hän juo vettä |
| we will drink apple juice | juomme omenamehua |
| they will drink tea | he juovat teetä |
Now let's take a break and refresh our vocabulary by learning the body parts.
ear korva | eye silmä | mouth suu | nose nenä |
hair tukka | face kasvot | head pää | heart sydän |
hand käsi | fingers sormet | leg jalka | feet jalat |
Travel Phrases in Finnish
Imagine yourself in some Finnish speaking country. The following travel phrases are highly important and can help you avoid misunderstanding. Try to memorize them and practice!
| English | Finnish |
|---|---|
| Can you help me? | voitteko auttaa minua? |
| Can I help you? | voinko auttaa? |
| Where is the airport? | missä on lentokenttä? |
| Go straight | mene suoraan |
| Then | sitten |
| Turn left | käänny vasemmalle |
| Turn right | käänny oikealle |
I hope this lesson about the verbs in Finnish was not hard for you. If you have any question about this lesson please contact me here. Now it's time to check the next lesson below.
| Finnish Audio |
Inspirational Quote: Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. Goethe |