äänestän

äänestän is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Finnish verb äänestää, meaning to vote. It expresses that the speaker casts a vote in an election or referendum, or more generally participates in a decision by voting. The word shares its semantic link with ääni, which can mean both “voice” and “vote” in Finnish.

In Finnish, äänestää is conjugated regularly in the present tense as äänestän (I vote), äänestät (you vote), äänestää (he/she/it votes). Other common forms include äänestin (I voted), äänestäisin (I would vote), and äänestä (vote!, imperative). The subject is often omitted in Finnish because the verb form itself indicates the person.

Usage notes: äänestän is typically used when referring to participation in elections or referendums, such as “Minä äänestän vaaleissa.” The term can also appear in broader contexts where a vote is taken or voiced, though in Finnish everyday language the focus is usually on formal ballots. The noun ääni is used for both “voice” and “vote,” and related phrases may use the verb in different tenses or moods to reflect past actions, hypothetical decisions, or commands.