Big, Small, Cheap, Expensive in spoken Finnish

Describing things: iso, pieni, kallis, halpa

In its basic form an adjective needs no ending: iso auto, pieni auto, kallis puhelin. Say 'it is big' with just 'on': toi on iso. Turn the volume with tosi (really), aika (pretty), liian (too) and vähän (a bit). Speech shortens a few: uusi becomes uus.

• Toi on tosi iso. = That's really big.
• Tää on liian kallis. = This is too expensive.

Toi on tosi iso.

That's really big.

Written Finnish: Tuo on todella iso.

toi

that - spoken 'tuo'

on

is

tosi

really - spoken 'todella'

iso

big, large

Mul on pieni auto.

I have a small car.

Written Finnish: Minulla on pieni auto.

mul

I have - spoken 'minulla': the last syllable drops

on

is, there is

pieni

small

auto

car

Tää on liian kallis.

This is too expensive.

Written Finnish: Tämä on liian kallis.

tää

this - spoken 'tämä'

on

is

liian

too, too much

kallis

expensive

Toi on aika halpa.

That's pretty cheap.

Written Finnish: Tuo on aika halpa.

toi

that - spoken 'tuo'

on

is

aika

quite, pretty

halpa

cheap

Mul on uus puhelin.

I have a new phone.

Written Finnish: Minulla on uusi puhelin.

mul

I have - spoken 'minulla'

on

is, there is

uus

new - spoken 'uusi': the final -i drops

puhelin

phone

Toi auto on vanha mut hyvä.

That car is old but good.

Written Finnish: Tuo auto on vanha mutta hyvä.

toi

that - spoken 'tuo'

auto

car

on

is

vanha

old

mut

but - spoken 'mutta', the ending drops

hyvä

good

Onks toi kauppa auki vai kii?

Is that shop open or closed?

Written Finnish: Onko tuo kauppa auki vai kiinni?

onks

is - spoken 'onko': -ko becomes -ks

toi

that - spoken 'tuo'

kauppa

shop

auki

open

vai

or - the QUESTION 'or', when you offer a choice

kii

closed - spoken 'kiinni'

Tää sauna on ihan liian kuuma.

This sauna is far too hot.

Written Finnish: Tämä sauna on aivan liian kuuma.

tää

this - spoken 'tämä'

sauna

sauna

on

is

ihan

completely, quite - spoken 'aivan'

liian

too, too much

kuuma

hot