pyydä

Pyydä is the imperative form of the Finnish verb pyytää, meaning to ask or to request. It is used to give a direct instruction to someone to ask for something or to request something from another person. The basic infinitive is pyytää, and the imperative singular form is pyydä. The corresponding plural imperative form is pyydäkää. In negative constructions, the negative imperative uses älä pyydä (singular) or älkää pyydä (plural).

Etymology and related forms: Pyydä derives from the verb pyytää, and the related noun pyyntö means a request or plea. The verb belongs to the Finnish class of -dä verbs and shares its root with other forms of asking or requesting.

Usage notes: Pyydä is commonly used with direct objects that describe what should be asked for, such as apua (help), anteeksi (forgiveness), or lupaa (permission). It can function in straightforward commands or in more nuanced requests depending on context and intonation. In formal or polite speech, speakers may prefer more softened constructions (for example, voisitko pyytää… or voisitteko pyytää…).

Examples:

- Pyydä apua. (Ask for help.)

- Pyydä anteeksi. (Ask for forgiveness.)

- Pyydä lupa ennen kuin teet sen. (Ask for permission before you do it.)

- Älä pyydä liikaa. (Don’t ask for too much.)

See also: pyytää, pyyntö.