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.

• Mä en pysty vielä kävelemään. - I cannot walk yet.
• Minä pystyin kävelemään. - I was able to walk.
• En pysty tähän! - I can't do this! I can't take this!
• Notice that we usually use pystyä (pystyn, pystyin, pystynyt) in the past tense, because voida is the same in present and past.
• Watch the legendary video with Kola-Olli and his one-liner "Ei pysty. On niin hapokasta, että ei pysty."

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

• Oletteko saaneet mitään tehtyä? - Have you managed to get anything done?
• Read my post about this topic

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.