Real spoken Finnish for Buses and Trains, with the written form (kirjakieli) beside every line, word-by-word notes and audio on every sentence. Free to read.
Shortened Verbs and -ks Questions
In spoken Finnish, verbs like 'mennä' and 'tulla' are shortened (mä meen, sä tuut). Questions ending in '-ko' or '-kö' change to '-ks' for a faster flow.
Mä meen bussilla. = I'm going by bus.
Onks tää juna? = Is this the train?
Onks tää bussi?
Is this the bus?
Written Finnish: Onko tämä bussi?
onks
is - spoken 'onko': the -ko question ending becomes -ks
tää
this - spoken 'tämä'
bussi
bus
Onks toi juna?
Is that the train?
Written Finnish: Onko tuo juna?
onks
is - spoken 'onko': -ko becomes -ks
toi
that - spoken 'tuo'
juna
train
Mä meen junalla.
I'm going by train.
Written Finnish: Minä menen junalla.
mä
I - spoken 'minä'
meen
I go - spoken 'menen': the verb squeezes to one syllable
junalla
by train - 'juna' + -lla (by/with)
Me mennään nyt.
We are going now.
Written Finnish: Me menemme nyt.
me
we
mennään
go - spoken Finnish swaps 'me menemme' for the let's-form: 'me mennään'
nyt
now
Millon se tulee?
When does it come?
Written Finnish: Milloin se tulee?
millon
when - spoken 'milloin', the i slips out
se
it
tulee
comes - from 'tulla'
Se tulee viideltä.
It comes at five.
Written Finnish: Se tulee viideltä.
se
it
tulee
comes - from 'tulla'
viideltä
at five - 'viisi' + -ltä
Tuuks sä mukaan?
Are you coming along?
Written Finnish: Tuletko sinä mukaan?
tuuks
are (you) coming - spoken 'tuletko': the verb shortens AND -ko becomes -ks