kuulostaa

Kuulostaa is a Finnish verb meaning "to sound" or "to seem." It describes how something is perceived, either in terms of hearing or as an overall impression. In English, it is often translated as "it sounds..." or "it seems...," and it is commonly used to express subjective evaluation.

The clause following kuulostaa typically contains an adjective or a subordinate clause introduced by että or siltä. Examples: "Se kuulostaa hyvältä" (That sounds good) and "Kuulostaa siltä, että hän tulee" (It sounds like he is coming). The phrase "kuulostaa siltä" is a frequent way to emphasize the speaker’s impression.

Etymology and grammar: kuulostaa is formed from kuulla "to hear" plus the suffix -staa, creating a perception verb. It is intransitive; the perceived quality is expressed with an adjective or with a subordinate clause rather than a direct object. The infinitive is kuulostaa, and the third-person singular present form is also kuulostaa, which is the form most commonly used in sentences.

Usage notes: Because it conveys subjectivity, kuulostaa is often softened or hedged, for example with mutta or ehkä: "kuulostaa ehkä paremmalta" (it might sound better). It can describe sounds, voices, statements, or situations, and it sometimes overlaps with mutta vaikuttaa, meaning "to seem," though kuulostaa emphasizes auditory or surface impressions.

See also: vaikuttaa; tuntua; siltä, että.