minä
/ˈminæ/
The English word "I" is translated into Finnish as minä. Wiktionary also lists mä and mää.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| minä | /ˈminæ/ | |
| mä | /ˈmæ/ | colloquial |
| mää | /ˈmæː/ | colloquial, dialectal |
| mie | /ˈmie̯/ | colloquial, dialectal |
| ma | /ˈmɑ/ | archaic, poetic |
The phrase is a personal pronoun.
Which one should you use?
The standard form minä is used in formal writing and clear speech, whereas the colloquial forms are used in everyday spoken Finnish.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard form minä is used in formal writing and clear speech. In casual conversation, the colloquial contraction mä is very common. The form ma is considered archaic or poetic.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form mää is a colloquial and dialectal version of the pronoun. The form mie is also colloquial and dialectal, used primarily in certain parts of Western and Northern Finland.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun minä changes to minut when it is the direct object of a verb (accusative case). It also changes to minulle when used in the allative case (to me).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈminæ/
Did you know?
- Finnish does not capitalize the word minä at the start of a sentence unless it is the first word, and unlike English, it is never capitalized in the middle of a sentence.
- While 'I' is a single word in English, the Finnish pronoun minä can be 'hidden' inside the verb endings themselves. For example, the suffix -n in many verbs marks that the subject is 'I'.
- While minä is the dictionary form, using it in a casual setting can sometimes make a speaker sound overly formal or even slightly aggressive.
Examples in context
- Mä en tiie viel.I don't know yet.This sentence is useful for seeing the use of the colloquial form mä.Tatoeba #8729862 by Orava, translation #32569 by CK
- Mä en tajuu tätä.I don't get this.Tatoeba #4165438 by Silja, translation #2271850 by CK
- Minä tein sen jo.I already did that.This sentence is useful for seeing the use of the standard form minä.Tatoeba #7244168 by Orava, translation #1887077 by CK
- Minä puhun sujuvaa suomea.I speak fluent Finnish.
- Minä ymmärrän täysin tilanteen vakavuuden.I fully understand the seriousness of the situation.
- Mä rakastan sinua.I love you.
- Mä olin eilen konsertissa.I was at the concert yesterday.
- Mä menen kauppaan.I'm going to the store.
- 3888 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Matti are talking at a cafe.
- MattiMinä haluan kahvin.I want a coffee.
- SofiaMinä otan teetä.I will have tea.
- MattiHaluatko sinä jotain syötävää?Do you want something to eat?
- SofiaEn, kiitos.No, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries minä, mä, mää, mie, ma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
