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Mennä

Verb type: 3

Translations

  1. to go [with illative of third infinitive ‘to do’] (move away from a point of reference)
    • mennä nukkumaan ― to go to sleep, go to bed
    • mennä liian pitkälle ― to go too far
    • mennä kalastamaan järvelle ― to go to fish at the lake
    • mennä kahville ― to go for a coffee
  2. to go, extend
    • Synonyms: kulkea, ulottua
    • Tie menee pellolle saakka.
      • The road goes up to the field.
  3. to go, lead (of a path, etc.)
    • Synonyms: johtaa, kulkea, viedä
    • Polku menee talon ohi.
      • The path goes by the house.
  4. to go, turn out, proceed
    • Synonym: sujua
    • Sehän meni ihan hyvin.
      • That actually went quite well.
    • Minulla menee ihan hyvin.
      • I'm doing quite well. / Things are going quite well for me.
  5. to go, enter, get, begin, start [(of direction or state) with illative; or (what something or someone becomes, e.g. adjectives) with translative; or with adverb] (general verb for describing entering some kind of state)
    • mennä töihin ― to go to work, enter the workforce
    • mennä myyntiin ― to go on sale
    • mennä lakkoon ― to go on strike
    • mennä kihloihin ― to get engaged/betrothed
    • mennä poikki ― to snap in half/into pieces
    • mennä hankalaksi ― to get difficult/tricky/complicated
    • Tämä alkaa mennä vähän saivarteluksi.
      • This is starting to get a bit nitpicky.
  6. (impersonal + illative) to be spent; take, pass, spend, go (time, resources, etc.) (see usage notes)
    • Synonym: kulua
    • Hyllyn kokoamiseen meni tunnin verran.
      • Assembling the shelf took an hour.
    • Siihen olisi voinut mennä kaksikin tuntia.
      • It could've taken two hours.
  7. to go (and [do]) [with illative of third infinitive] (do an action, implying that someone should be criticized for doing it)
    • Miksi sinä menit sellaista tekemään?
      • Why did you go and do that?
  8. to go, fit [with illative ‘in/into’]
    • Synonyms: mahtua, sopia
    • Montako litraa siihen menee?
      • How many litres can you fit in it?
      • (literally, “How many litres go in it?”)
  9. (colloquial) to do, be good enough
    • Synonyms: käydä, menetellä
  10. (informal) to sell
    • Synonyms: myydä, mennä kaupaksi

Conjugations

Indicative Conjugations

The present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect (past perfect) tenses in English correspond to "speaks", "spoke", "has spoken", and "had spoken".

Present tense conjugation chart

Past tense conjugation chart

Perfect tense conjugation chart

Pluperfect tense conjugation chart

Conditional Conjugations

The conditional present and perfect moods in English typically correspond to "would" and "would have".

Present tense conjugation chart

Perfect tense conjugation chart