Pysytäänkä

Pysytäänkö is a Finnish verb form used to ask whether the group should stay or remain. It is the present passive form of the verb pysyä, combined with the question particle -kö, producing a yes/no question meaning “shall we stay” or “are we staying.” Because Finnish uses the passive voice to express a general or indefinite subject, pysytään functions without specifying who is staying.

Formation and usage

The base stem is pysy-, to which the present passive suffix -tään is added, yielding pysytään. The interrogative particle -kö is attached at the end to form a question. The subject is often implicit, typically referring to the speaker and others in a group, rather than a named person. Phrases with pysytäänkä typically propose a course of action regarding staying in a location or continuing a current situation.

Examples

- Pysytäänkö täällä vähän aikaa? (Shall we stay here a little while?)

- Pysytäänkö yöksi? (Shall we stay for the night?)

- Pysytäänkö vielä vähän pidempään? (Shall we stay a bit longer?)

Notes

Pysytäänkä is distinct from the active first-person plural form pysymme, which would emphasize a deliberate action by the group rather than a suggestion about remaining in place. The form is common in everyday speech and can appear in both informal and more formal contexts when discussing plans or arrangements.

See also

Finnish grammar, passive voice, question formation and the particle -kö, pysyä (the base verb).