Saada

Translations

1. (transitive) to get, receive [with ablative or elative ‘from’]
   • Saan huomenna paketin.
     • I will receive a parcel tomorrow.
   • Sain serkultani kirjeen.
     • I got a letter from my cousin.
   • Sain hyvän idean luettuani erään kirjan!
     • I got a good idea after reading a certain book!
   • Mitä sait joululahjaksi?
     • What did you get for Christmas?
   • Saat vielä uuden tilaisuuden.
     • You'll get another chance.
   • Saanko luvan?
     • May I (have this dance)?
   • Enkö saa olla missään rauhassa?
     • Can't I get peace anywhere?
   1. (intransitive) to get as one's task or responsibility to (do), be assigned to do [with translative or long first infinitive]
      • Sain asian hoitaakseni.
        • I was assigned to take care of the matter.
2. (transitive) to get [with elative ‘out of’], make, produce, yield
   • Saatko siitä vielä käyttökelpoisen?
     • Can you still get some use out of it?
   • Saat minut hyvälle tuulelle.
     • You get me in a good mood.
   • Näin saadaan taikinasta tasainen.
     • That's how you make the batter smooth.
   1. (often passive voice) to get, (in the passive) yield, afford (to give or bring forth; yield as natural result)
      • Rypäleistä saadaan viiniä, oliiveista öljyä.
        • Grapes afford wine, olives afford oil.
   2. to get or make something done, manage to do [with translative of past active or passive participle; or with partitive of past active or passive participle]
      • Oletan saavani paperit korjatuksi tänä viikonloppuna.
        • I expect myself to get the papers corrected this weekend.
      • Sain sen tehdyksi/tehtyä.
        • I got it done.
   3. (transitive) to make [with illative of third infinitive] (to cause the direct object to be the subject of a verb)
      • Saat minut nauramaan.
        • You make me laugh.
3. may, to be allowed, to be permitted; (restrictive) must; (in the negative) must (not), may (not) [with first infinitive]
   • Saan katsoa televisiota.
     • I am allowed to watch television.
   • Saanko suudella kättäsi?
     • May I kiss your hand?
   • Kesto saa olla enintään neljä tuntia.
     • The duration must not exceed four hours.
     • (literally, “The duration is allowed to be at most four hours.”)
   1. (often in the conditional mood) to deserve, ought to [with first infinitive]
      • Synonyms: (in the indicative or conditional mood) sietää, ansaita
      • Saisit hävetä!
        • You deserve to be ashamed! / You should be ashamed!
   2. used in an indirect imperative sense, often with the addition of luvan [with first infinitive]
      • Nyt saa riittää!
        • Enough!
      • Se saa luvan kelvata.
        • It shall have to be good enough.
   3. to have to do something (reluctantly) [with first infinitive]
      • Häntä saa aina odottaa.
        • We always have to wait for him.
      • Jonain päivänä saat nähdä. (implying negative consequences)
        • You will see one day.
4. will [with first infinitive] (expresses hope that something will happen in the future; usually used with a qualifier)
   • Meidän tulee tietää — me saamme tietää!
     • We must know — we will know!
5. (transitive, radio) to copy (receive a transmission successfully)
   • Sain. ― Copy.
6. (colloquial) to get laid [with ablative ‘by’] (if the partner is mentioned)
   • Tänä yönä aion saada!
     • This night I'm going to get laid!
7. (archaic, poetic or dialectal) to arrive, come
   • Synonym: saapua
   • Syksy saa.
     • Autumn is coming.
   • 1971, Kari Kuuva (lyrics and music), “Pienen pojan haaveet”, performed by Jarno Sarjanen:
     • Päivä mailleen saaPian ois aika uinahtaaMutt’ yö niin vilpoinen on taivaltaa
       • I watch the setting sunThe time to sleep has begunBut the night's nice out here and walking's fun
       • (literally, “The sun is arriving in its landsSoon it'd be time to sleepBut the night is so fresh for walking”)

Conjugations

Indicative Conjugations

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

Conditional Conjugations

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