Random Finnish Lesson: voida - pystyä - saada

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Do you know the difference between voida, pystyä, saada and osata?

Voida

Voida (voin, voin, voinut) is to be able to, to can. (Also to feel.)

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 we usually use pystyä (pystyn, pystyin, pystynyt) in the past tense, because voida is the same in present and past. Pystyä and voida the same, but sometimes pystyä sounds a little bit stronger. Notice the use of MA infinitive.

Saada (saan, sain, saanut) is many things, for example to get, to receive, and to have a permission.

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

Osata (osaan, osasin, osannut) is to know how to do something.

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About the author of this blog:

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. You can contact me through www.privatefinnishlessons.com. You can subscribe to this blog from the right-hand banner.