etkö

Etkö is a Finnish negative question form used to seek confirmation or surprise in a statement. It is created by combining the negation particle ei with the question suffix -kö/-kö attached to the verb, and is most commonly used with the second-person subject (you). The result is a single word, etkö, that marks the sentence as a negative question.

In use, etkö functions like a tag or confirmation question: the speaker asks something they expect the listener to confirm or deny. The verb stays in its normal tense or conjugation for the subject, and the etkö prefix is placed at the start of the clause. For second-person inquiries, etkö is typical, as in etkö sinä tule? “Aren’t you coming?” It can also appear with te (plural you): ettekö te tule? “Aren’t you coming, you all?”

The corresponding form for third-person or neutral questions is often eikö, as in eikö hän ole tullut? “Isn’t he coming?” The choice between etkö and eikö reflects the subject of the question and the speaker’s intention.

Etkö is common in everyday spoken Finnish and in informal written Finnish, including dialogue. It can convey expectation, mild surprise, or a request for agreement. In more formal contexts, straightforward asks without tag forms may be preferred.

See also: ko/kö question suffix, Finnish negation (ei), Finnish question formation.