Lähden

Lähden is the first-person singular present tense form of the Finnish verb lähteä, meaning to leave or depart. It is a common verb used in everyday speech to indicate that the speaker is leaving a place or is about to start an action. The form also functions in constructions that express future intention, such as going to do something.

Conjugation and usage

In the present tense, the typical forms are minä lähden, sinä lähdet, hän lähtee, me lähdemme, te lähdette, he lähtevät. The past tense is formed as minä lähdin, sinä lähdit, hän lähti, me lähdimme, te lähditte, he lähtivät. The imperative forms include lähde (singular) and lähdettäköön or lähdette (plural), used to give commands or instructions. The verb can appear with a destination, for example, Lähden kauppaan (I’m going to the store) or Lähden kotiin (I’m going home). It can also pair with an infinitive to express intention, such as Lähden opiskelemaan (I’m going to study).

Etymology and variations

Lähteä comes from the Finnish root associated with departure and movement. The form lähden is widely used across dialects and registers, from everyday conversation to written Finnish, and it participates in the same class of verbs that describe movement or transition.

Grammatical notes

Lähden is used with a subject pronoun (minä) and can be followed by a destination with the illative case. It is also used in purposive constructions with the -maan/-mään inflection to indicate intended activity.

Examples

- Lähden töihin. (I’m leaving for work.)

- Lähden opiskelemaan myöhemmin. (I’m going to study later.)

- En lähde nyt. (I’m not leaving now.)