Syö

Syö is a Finnish verb form derived from the verb syödä, meaning to eat. In Finnish, syö can function as the third-person singular present indicative (he/she/it eats) and as the singular imperative (eat!). Because the same spelling is used for these two different functions, the intended meaning is determined by the sentence structure and context. The infinitive of the verb is syödä, and the present-tense stem is syö-.

The present tense conjugation of syödä includes: syön (I eat), syöt (you eat), syö (he/she/it eats), syömme (we eat), syötte (you eat), syövät (they eat). The imperative forms are syö (singular) and syökää (plural). The verb is transitive and typically takes a direct object, for example: Hän syö omenan (He eats an apple).

Past tense forms exist as well, using a vowel change in the stem: söin (I ate), söit (you ate), söi (he/she ate), söimme (we ate), söitte (you ate), söivät (they ate). The forms show how syö is related to the broader verb syödä through tense and aspect.

Usage and frequency: syödä is one of the most common Finnish verbs and appears across everyday speech and writing in contexts related to meals, appetite, nutrition, and food activities. The imperative form is commonly used in commands or encouragement, such as Syö nyt (Eat now) or Syö omena (Eat the apple).

Etymology and related forms: syö is part of a core Finnic verb with long attested usage in Finnish. A derived noun form is syöminen, referring to the act of eating.