Toivoisin

Toivoisin is a Finnish verb form that expresses a wish or a polite request. It is the first-person singular conditional mood of the verb toivoa, meaning to hope. The conditional is formed from the stem toivo- plus the conditional marker -isi- and the personal ending -n, resulting in the form toivoisin. In practice, this form denotes a softer, more courteous statement than a direct wish or demand.

Usage and nuances: Toivoisin is commonly used to express wishes or polite requests, often introducing a subordinate clause with että, or appearing in standalone phrases like a polite request. Examples include: “Toivoisin, että saisitte lisätietoja” (I would like you to obtain more information) and “Toivoisin, että tulisit ajoissa” (I would like you to come on time). It can also appear in shorter utterances such as “Toivoisin kahvia, kiitos” (I would like some coffee, please). The form tends to be softer and less forceful than haluaisin (I would like).

Conjugation and related forms: The full paradigm for the verb in the conditional present includes minäk: toivoisin; sinä: toivoisit; hän: toivoisi; me: toivoisimme; te: toivoisitte; he: toivoisivat. The term is related to the active verb toivoa (to hope) and shares its semantics of desire, expectation, and politeness.

Etymology: Toivoisin derives from the noun toivo (hope) with the Finnish conditional suffixes, aligning with Finnish mood and aspect systems. It is a common, standard expression in both spoken and written Finnish.