Epäonnistun

Epäonnistun is the first-person singular present tense form of the Finnish verb epäonnistua, meaning to fail or be unsuccessful. The verb is intransitive and describes a situation where an intended outcome does not occur. It is commonly used for statements about one’s own inability to achieve a goal, perform well, or meet expectations in a given context, such as a task, exam, or plan.

Etymology and sense: epäonnistua is built from the stem onnis- (related to success) with the negative prefix epä- attached, roughly translating to “not succeed.” The word forms part of a broader thematic pair with onnistu- (to succeed), and contrasts with the related noun epäonnistuminen, meaning failure or a failure event.

Conjugation: Present tense forms are as follows: minä epäonnistun, sinä epäonnistut, hän epäonnistuu, me epäonnistumme, te epäonnistutte, he epäonnistuvat. Past tense forms include minä epäonnistuin, sinä epäonnistuit, hän epäonnistui, me epäonnistuimme, te epäonnistuitte, he epäonnistuivat. Finnish verbs in this class do not employ a separate passive form in the present; passive meaning is typically conveyed with the subject or via context.

Usage notes: Epäonnistua is used when the failure is tied to a specific situation (e.g., “Kokeessa epäonnistun” – I fail the exam) or a broader effort (e.g., “Yritys epäonnistui” – The venture failed). It is commonly contrasted with onnistu- (to succeed). The noun form epäonnistuminen is often used to talk about failure as a concept or outcome.

Related forms: Other conjugations of epäonnistua include the negative forms and other tenses, and the related noun epäonnistuminen can pair with phrases indicating causes, consequences, or improvements.