Minä haluan levätä.

I want to rest.

Breakdown of Minä haluan levätä.

• minä: I
• haluta: to want
• levätä: to rest

Questions & Answers about Minä haluan levätä.

Why is the subject pronoun Minä included even though haluan already indicates the subject?

In Finnish, the subject pronoun is often dropped because the verb ending clearly shows who is performing the action. However, including Minä can add emphasis or clarity, and it’s common in situations where the speaker wants to stress their involvement or distinguish themselves from others.

How is haluan formed and what does it tell us about the sentence?

Haluan is the first-person singular present form of the verb haluta (to want). The ending -n signals that the subject is I. This conjugation not only confirms the subject but also situates the action in the present tense.

Why is levätä left in its infinitive form rather than being fully conjugated?

In Finnish, when a verb like haluta is used to express a desire, the following action verb remains in its infinitive form. This is similar to English, where we say “I want to rest” instead of conjugating “rest.” The infinitive levätä functions as the complement to haluan.

What does the -tä ending in levätä signify?

The -tä ending is part of the standard infinitive form for many Finnish verbs. It indicates that the verb is not marked for person or tense and is being used in its base form. This pattern is common and helps form constructions where one verb depends on another, such as with modal or desire verbs.

Is it acceptable to omit Minä, and how would that change the sentence?

Yes, omitting Minä is perfectly acceptable because the verb haluan already implies the first-person subject. Without the pronoun, the sentence becomes Haluan levätä. Both forms are correct; including Minä merely adds emphasis or clarity, especially in contexts where the subject might otherwise be ambiguous.

Is the word order in Minä haluan levätä fixed, or can it be altered like in English?

Finnish generally allows for flexible word order thanks to its case system and clear verb conjugations. However, Minä haluan levätä follows a straightforward subject-verb-complement structure, which is common and clear—especially for beginners. As you advance, you'll encounter variations, but this basic order is a reliable starting point.