Ajatella

Ajatella is a Finnish verb meaning to think, to consider, or to contemplate. It covers a range of mental activities from brief reflection to more extended deliberation. The verb is closely related to the noun ajatus (a thought) and to ajattelu (thinking).

Usage and meaning

Ajatella is used with various constructions depending on nuance. It is transitive and commonly appears with a direct object in the genitive or with a subordinate clause introduced by että: for example, ajatella jotakin means to think about something, and ajatella että ... introduces a thought or opinion. It can also appear with an infinitive to express intention, as in aion ajatella sitä (I intend to think about it) or ajattelin tehdä sen (I thought about doing it). In everyday language, ajatella is often preferred when the speaker wants to express a general thought or opinion, while miettiä conveys more deliberate or careful consideration.

Conjugation and forms

Finnish verbs conjugate according to person and tense, and ajatella is no exception. Present tense forms are: minä ajattelen, sinä ajattelet, hän ajattelee, me ajattelemme, te ajattelette, he ajattelevat. Imperfect (past) forms are: ajattelin, ajattelit, ajatteli, ajattelimme, ajattelitte, ajattelivat. The perfect form is olen ajatellut (I have thought). A common passive or impersonal form is ajatellaan (it is thought / people think), used in general statements or reported speech.

Examples

What do you think about this? Mitä sinä ajattelet tästä? I think that this is a good idea. Minä ajattelen, että tämä on hyvä idea. I thought about it yesterday. Ajattelin tehdä sen huomenna. Use of the imperative is Ajattele! (Think!) or Ajatelkaa! (Think, plural).

See also

Conjugation patterns for Finnish verbs and the related nouns ajatus and ajattelu.