Sunday, April 27, 2014

How to use the Finnish verbs 'päästä', 'päätyä' and 'joutua'

Here's a post about three verbs that mean some sort of getting from or to a place. Päästä is a good thing, päätyä is neutral or accidental, and joutua is negative.

  • Pääsin yliopistoon! - I got into university!  (I wanted to get accepted there.)
  • Päädyin baariin. - I ended up going to a bar. (I didn't plan it.)
  • Jouduin jäämään kotiin. -  I ended up staying at home. (I didn't want to.)


päästä, pääsen, pääsin, päässyt


  • Mä pääsin Lapin yliopistoon! - I got into the University of Lapland!
  • Mihin aikaan sä pääset töistä? - At what time do you get off from work?
  • Anteeksi, mutta mä en pääse huomenna. - Sorry, but I cannot make it tomorrow. 
  • Enkö minä ikinä pääse sinusta eroon?! - Won't I ever get rid of you?!

päätyä, päädyn, päädyin, päätynyt


  • Kuinka me päädyttiin tänne? - How did we end up in here?
  • Nukahdin junaan ja päädyin Kuopioon. - I fell asleep in the train and ended up in Kuopio.
  • Olin menossa kotiin, mutta päädyin jatkoille. - I was going home, but I ended up in an afterparty.

joutua, joudun, jouduin, joutunut


  • Mä jouduin ylitöihin. - I had to stay overtime. 
  • Mä jouduin vaihto-oppilaaksi Suomeen. - I had to come to Finland as an exchange student. (And I didn't want to!!)
  • Miksi te jouduitte lähtemään niin aikaisin? - Why did you have to leave so early?


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. 

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Kiiiitoooooooos ☺

Anonymous said...

This is really the best tutorial one could find on the net. I wish I had know the blog some few years back. Kiitos Paljon Hanna. And keep up the good work.

Would it be possible for you to give one or two more examples? I mean,other than the example:

Pääsin Frederikin keikalle. - I got to go to Frederik's gig!
Päädyin Frederikin keikalle. - I ended up to Frederik's gig.
Jouduin Frederikin keikalle. - I was forced to go to Frederik's gig.

Hanna said...

Ha ha.. kiitos! How about these ones:

Pääsin tulemaan yksin. - I managed / got to come alone. (And it's a good thing.)
Päädyin tulemaan yksin. - I ended up coming alone. (Neutral)
Jouduin tulemaan yksin. - I had to come alone (Not happy).

Anonymous said...

On hyvä! This make it more clear :)
Do you say "Jouduin sun kanssa" to emphasise an unfortunate relationship (I ended up with you)?? It is bad example, but good to know.

Junaid said...

I am having a hard time with Päästä. It has something like a million uses and i am totally confused. Can you please explain it in detail?
Thanks