(intransitive + inessive or adessive) to visit, go to (and return), attend (a place)
Kävin eilen Madridissa.
I visited Madrid yesterday.
Milloin tulet käymään luonamme?
When will you visit us?
käydä kirkossa, sunnuntaijumalanpalveluksessa ― to attend church, the Sunday service
Tänään meidän pitää käydä kaupassa.
We must go to the grocery store today.
Odota hetki, käyn vessassa.
Wait a moment while I go to the toilet.
Kävin läheisessä metsässä.
I visited a nearby forest.
Käyn katsomassa.
I'll go take a look.
(intransitive + inessive) to go do (gathering, collecting, harvesting)
Tänään kävimme kalassa, ja huomenna aiomme käydä marjassa.
Today we went fishing, and tomorrow we will do some berry picking.
(intransitive + adessive) to go do
Mennään käymään kahvilla.
Let's go get some coffee.
Osaako pikku-Pekka käydä itse kakalla?
Is little Pekka able to go poo by himself?
Kävin metsällä.
I went to hunt (in a forest).
(intransitive + partitive or transitive + accusative) to go to school (form chosen depends on the completeness of the action)
Käyn lukiota.
I'm attending high school.
Kävin lukion Jyväskylässä.
I went to high school in Jyväskylä.
Kävin kaksi vuotta lukiota.
I was in high school for two years.
(intransitive, now mostly in set phrases) to step, tread, pace, stride
Käy peremmälle!
Come on in! (lit. "step further to the back")
(intransitive, monopersonal, (inessive or adessive) + 3rd-pers. sg. + an adverb) to happen, go (often in English with subject it)
Miten siinä kävi (sinulle)?
How did it go (for you)?
Miten siinä niin kävi?
How did it turn out that way?
(genitive + 3rd-pers. sg. + an adverb) to happen (to somebody)
Minun kävi huonosti.
Things went badly for me.
(+ partitive for agent, + allative for target) to happen (to something)
Mitä sinun jaloillesi on käynyt?
What has happened to your feet?
(intransitive + allative) to please, suit, make content, be okay (with)
Meidän siitä tapaamisesta, miten sinulle kävisi sunnuntai?
About our meeting, would Sunday work for you?
Minulle käy se hyvin.
I am okay with that.
(intransitive + illative) to suit, fit
Avaimeni käy tähän lukkoon.
My key fits into this lock.
Se pala ei käy siihen.
That piece does not go there.
(intransitive + elative) to pass (for)
Tämä varmaan käy ruoasta.
This could probably pass for food.
(intransitive) to run, operate, work
Moottori käy.
The motor is running.
Ovi käy.
The door swings (open and shut).
Pienoismallien moottorit käyvät risiiniöljyllä ja metanolilla.
The motors/engines of the miniature models run on castor oil and methanol.
(intransitive, of time) to go by
Aika käy hitaasti.
Time goes by slowly.
Synonyms: kulua, kulkea
(intransitive, of a clock) to go, run
(intransitive + translative) to get, grow, become
Vaikeudet kävivät hänelle liian suuriksi.
The difficulties got too big for her.
(intransitive + illative of third infinitive) to begin (to do)
(intransitive, chemistry) to ferment, become fermented, yeast
(transitive) used in many collocations with nouns and with more or less idiomatic value, translated often into “engage in”, “have”, “do”, “transact”, “pursue”, “keep up”, “maintain” etc.