How to use the Finnish verb 'hakea'

Hakea has a couple of different meanings:

To get, to fetch something:

• Odota, mä haen kynän! - Wait, I'll get  a pen.
• Voisitko sä hakea lapset päiväkodista? - Could you get the kids from the daycare?

To apply, to submit oneself as a candidate for something:

• Mitä sä aiot hakea opiskelemaan? - What will you apply to study?
• Mihin yliopistoon sä haet? - Which university are you applying for?
• Haen avoinna olevaa työpaikkaa. - I'm applying for the open position. 

When you are searching for something online in Finnish, it says hae in the box that you have to click at the end. That's the imperative for of hakea. In everyday life, I'd use the verb etsiä.

• Mitä sä etsit? - What are/were you looking for?
• Mä olen etsinyt sitä kaikkialta. - I've been looking for it everwhere.

The four important forms:

• hakea, haen, hain, hakenut
• etsiä, etsin, etsin, etsinyt (Yes, the past and present are the same!)

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.