Learn Hardcore Finnish: Minä istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.

Minä istun katsomossa ja katson peliä is fully correct but sounds a bit more emphatic, like “I am the one who sits in the stands and watches the game.”
Neutral everyday Finnish: Istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.

Why are the verbs istun and katson, and not istu or katso?

Finnish verbs change their ending according to the subject (person and number).

The basic dictionary forms are:

istua = to sit
katsoa = to watch

For minä (I), the present tense ending is usually -n:

minä istun = I sit / I am sitting
minä katson = I watch / I am watching

So istu or katso on their own are not correct finite verb forms in this sentence. You need the -n to match minä.

What exactly does katsomossa mean, and is it related to the verb katsoa?

Yes, they are related, but in this sentence katsomossa is a noun in a case form, not a verb form.

katsomo = stand(s), seating area, auditorium (literally: a place where you watch)
katsomossa = in the stands / in the auditorium

The ending -ssa is the inessive case: “in, inside”.
So:

katsomo (basic form)
katsomossa = in the stands

It happens to share the root katso- with katsoa (to watch), but here it’s clearly the place noun katsomo. Context and the ending tell you it’s a location, not an action.

What does the ending -ssa in katsomossa mean?

The ending -ssa / -ssä is the inessive case, usually translated as in.

Some examples:

talossa = in the house (talo = house)
kaupungissa = in the city (kaupunki = city)
katsomossa = in the stands (katsomo = stand(s), auditorium)

So katsomossa literally means “in the stands / in the audience area”.

Why is it peliä and not just peli?

Peliä is the partitive case of peli (game). The partitive ending here is -ä.

peli = a/the game (basic form)
peliä = some game / the game as an ongoing thing / part of the game

In this sentence, peliä is the object of katson (I watch) and is in the partitive because the watching is seen as an ongoing, incomplete process. You are just watching the game (not necessarily from start to finish).

Finnish often uses the partitive object with:

ongoing or incomplete actions
unbounded amounts (“some (of) …”)
many verbs of sensing or experiencing, including katsoa

What is the difference between katson peliä and katson pelin?

Both are possible, but the nuance changes:

katson peliä
- partitive object (peliä)
- Focus on the process: you are watching the game (an ongoing activity).
- Often used when you’re just watching, without emphasis on finishing it.
katson pelin
- total object (pelin, genitive form of peli)
- Focus on the whole: you watch the entire game (from start to finish), or at least that’s the intention.

So:

Istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.
= I sit in the stands and I’m (there, currently) watching the game.
Istun katsomossa ja katson pelin.
= I sit in the stands and (I will) watch the game through to the end.

In everyday speech, katson peliä is more common for the neutral “I’m watching the game.”

Does Finnish have anything like “a game / the game”? Where is the article?

Finnish has no articles (no words like a, an, the). The noun form and the context tell you whether it’s specific or general.

So peliä can mean:

“a game”
“the game”

Depending on the situation, you understand which is meant. In a stadium context, katson peliä is naturally understood as “I’m watching the (current) game.”

How flexible is the word order? Can I say Katsomossa istun ja katson peliä?

Yes, Finnish word order is quite flexible compared with English. Katsomossa istun ja katson peliä is grammatically correct.

However, word order affects emphasis:

Istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.
Neutral, “I sit in the stands and watch the game.”
Katsomossa istun ja katson peliä.
Emphasis on katsomossa (in the stands), as opposed to some other place. Roughly like “It’s in the stands that I’m sitting and watching the game.”

The original order (subject–verb–place–…):

(Minä) istun katsomossa ja katson peliä

is the most neutral and typical.

Could I say Istun ja katson peliä katsomossa instead?

You can, and it is grammatically correct, but the feel changes.

Istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.
→ very natural, “I sit in the stands and watch the game.”
Istun ja katson peliä katsomossa.
→ sounds like you first mention the actions (“I sit and watch the game”) and then add where at the end (“in the stands”). It’s still understandable and possible, but a bit less neutral.

In short: Finnish allows it, but the original sentence is the most natural choice here.

Why do you use the same “simple present” form for “I sit” and “I am sitting” / “I watch” and “I am watching”?

Finnish does not have a separate continuous tense like English (am sitting, am watching). The same present tense covers both:

istun = I sit / I am sitting
katson = I watch / I am watching

Context tells you whether it’s a general habit or something you’re doing right now.

In this sentence, the context (you’re talking about being at a game) makes istun and katson naturally mean “I am sitting” and “I am watching”.

How would I talk about the future here, like “I will sit in the stands and watch the game”?

Finnish usually uses the present tense for future time as well, plus a time expression if needed.

For example:

Huomenna istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.
= Tomorrow I will sit in the stands and watch the game.

The verb forms are identical to the present:

istun (present)
katson (present)

The word huomenna (tomorrow) shows that it is about the future.

What is the difference between katsomossa and katsomassa? They look very similar.

They are different case/infinitive forms and mean different things.

katsomossa
- from noun katsomo (stands, auditorium)
- inessive case: in the stands
- used in your sentence
katsomassa
- from verb katsoa (to watch)
- “3rd infinitive in inessive” = while watching, (being) in the act of watching
- e.g. Olen katsomassa peliä. = “I am (in the middle of) watching the game.”

So:

Istun katsomossa. = I sit in the stands.
Olen katsomassa peliä. = I am (busy) watching the game.

In your sentence, you must use katsomossa (the place), not katsomassa.

Is there any difference in meaning between Minä istun katsomossa ja katson peliä and Istun katsomossa ja katson peliä?

Grammatically, no. Both mean the same thing.

The difference is in emphasis and style:

Istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.
- Pronoun omitted, very normal, neutral Finnish.
- Usually preferred in everyday speech and writing.
Minä istun katsomossa ja katson peliä.
- Explicit subject pronoun minä, often adds emphasis on I.
- Can sound like: “I sit in the stands and watch the game,” maybe contrasting with someone else who doesn’t.

So you use Minä when you want to stress who is doing the action, or in very learner‑friendly or child‑directed speech.

How would I negate this sentence: “I do not sit in the stands and (do not) watch the game.”?

Finnish negation uses a separate negative verb en / et / ei / emme / ette / eivät plus the main verb in its short form.

For minä (I):

en istu = I do not sit / I am not sitting
en katso = I do not watch / I am not watching

So a direct negative version is:

En istu katsomossa enkä katso peliä.
= I do not sit in the stands and I do not watch the game.

Note enkä = en + ja: “and not”.