sanoa

Sanoa is a Finnish verb meaning to say or to tell. It is one of the most common verbs in Finnish and is used to report speech, quote another person, or state information. The verb typically takes a direct object describing what is said, and it occurs in many tenses and moods through standard Finnish conjugation. The infinitive is sanoa.

Conjugation (present): minä sanon, sinä sanot, hän sanoo; me sanomme, te sanotte, he sanovat. Imperfekt: sanoin, sanoit, hän sanoi; sanoimme, sanoitte, sanoivat. Perfect (with olla): olen sanonut, olet sanonut, hän on sanonut; olemme sanoneet, olette sanoneet, he ovat sanoneet. Imperative: sano!

Usage notes and examples: Sanoa is used to report speech and to request or instruct someone to tell something. Example: Hän sanoi, että hän tulee. To ask someone to tell: “Sano minulle” (tell me). Common collocations include sanoa jotakin (say something) and sanoa totuuden (tell the truth).

Origin and relations: The verb sanoa derives from a Proto-Finnic root related to speaking; cognates exist in other Finnic languages, such as Estonian öelda (to say).

See also: kertoa (to tell), lausua (to utter).