Kysyä

Kysyä is a Finnish verb meaning "to ask." It is used to seek information, request permission, or pose a question. The verb is transitive and can introduce an embedded question clause (for example, Kysy, mitä hän sanoi) or be used with a person who is being asked (for example, Kysy minulta, “What time is it?”).

Conjugation is regular for a Finnish -ä verb. In the present tense: minä kysyn, sinä kysyt, hän kysyy, me kysymme, te kysytte, he kysyvät. The past tense is formed as: minä kysyin, sinä kysyit, hän kysyi, me kysyimme, te kysyitte, he kysyivät. The conditional forms are: minä kysyisin, sinä kysyisit, hän kysyisi, me kysyisimme, te kysyisitte, he kysyisivät. The imperative forms are kysy (singular) and kysykää (plural). Present participle is kysyvä and past participle is kysynyt.

A common derivative is the noun kysymys, meaning “a question.” Related terms include kysely, meaning an inquiry or survey. The verb also participates in phrases that indicate asking for information or clarification, such as asking about someone’s opinion or about a specific matter. In usage, the direct object can be a clause (embedded question) or a noun phrase referring to what is being asked, and the person or source from whom something is asked is often marked with a suitable case form (for example, minulta, häneltä).

Etymology: kysyä is a native Finnish verb with cognates in other Finnic languages, notably Estonian küsida. The exact historical origin is reconstructed within the Finnic language family, dating to Proto-Finnic, with shared forms across related languages.