syödä
/ˈsyø̯dæˣ/
The Finnish verb for "eat" is syödä. Wiktionary also lists ruokailla.
Meaning: eat a meal (verb)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| syödä | /ˈsyø̯dæˣ/ |
| ruokailla | /ˈruo̯kɑi̯lːɑˣ/ |
The verb syödä refers to the physical act of eating.
Which one should you use?
While syödä focuses on the physical act of eating, ruokailla is used to describe the social act of dining or having a meal at a specific time.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular present tense of syödä is syön (I eat / I am eating), and the imperative command form is syö (eat!).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsyø̯dæˣ/
Did you know?
- The Finnish word syödä is a distant relative of the Hungarian word eszik, as both trace back to the ancient Proto-Uralic root *sewe-.
- The verb syödä can be used in the idiomatic expression syödä itsensä täyteen, which literally means 'to eat oneself full'.
- While syödä is the standard word for 'eat', Finnish uses the same verb to describe the act of 'consuming' things that aren't food, such as when rust 'eats' through metal.
Examples in context
- En aio syödä tätä.I won't eat this.This sentence shows how to use syödä with a negative intention.Tatoeba #4170847 by Orava, translation #3819802 by CK
- Sinun ei tule syödä.You don't have to eat.This sentence uses syödä to express a lack of necessity.Tatoeba #3086613 by Kalle63, translation #435768 by CK
- Minä en halua syödä.I don't want to eat.This sentence uses syödä with the verb for want.Tatoeba #4943675 by Silja, translation #3825001 by CK
- Haluaisin syödä jäätelöä.I would like to eat ice cream.
- Kaverini ja minä menemme syömään pizzaa.My friend and I are going to eat pizza.
- Syön aamiaista.I am eating breakfast.
- Lounaalla syömme keittoa.We are having soup for lunch.
- Hän söi illallisen ravintolassa.He/She ate dinner at a restaurant.
- Minä haluan syödä karjalanpiirakoita.I want to eat Karelian pastries.
- Lapset rakastavat syödä vohveleita.Children love to eat waffles.
- 217 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Antti are deciding what to do for lunch.
- SofiaHaluatko syödä jotain nyt?Do you want to eat something now?
- AnttiKyllä, minun täytyy syödä.Yes, I need to eat.
- SofiaMitä sinä haluat syödä?What do you want to eat?
- AnttiSyödään pizzaa.Let's eat pizza.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eat” translations and entries syödä, ruokailla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ruokailla, syödä, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
