The conditional (konditionaali) is Finnish for "would": I would do, I would like, I could. It's worth learning early not for hypotheticals but for politeness: the conditional is what turns a blunt "give me" into a soft "I would like". Let's see how it's formed and where you need it.
The conditional is easy to spot: it has the marker -isi- between the stem and the ending. puhun (I speak) → puhuisin (I would speak). Its most useful job is polite requests: haluaisin (I would like), voisitko (could you).
How it's formed
Add -isi- to the verb stem, then the normal personal ending. With some verbs the stem vowel changes (it's tied to the verb type). Using puhua:
| Person | Conditional | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| minä | puhuisin | I would speak |
| sinä | puhuisit | you would speak |
| hän | puhuisi | he/she would speak |
| me | puhuisimme | we would speak |
| te | puhuisitte | you would speak |
| he | puhuisivat | they would speak |
The verb olla in the conditional is olisi: olisin, olisit, olisi, olisimme, olisitte, olisivat ("would be").
Polite requests — the main use
In Finnish, the conditional is what makes speech polite. Compare the direct form with the softened one:
| Direct | Polite (conditional) |
|---|---|
| Haluan kahvin. (I want a coffee.) | Haluaisin kahvin. (I would like a coffee.) |
| Voitko auttaa? (Can you help?) | Voisitko auttaa? (Could you help?) |
| Saanko laskun? (Can I have the bill?) | Saisinko laskun? (Could I have the bill?) |
These four forms — haluaisin, voisitko, saisinko, olisiko — are worth memorising: they cover almost every polite request in a shop, café or at the doctor's.
"If…" and wishes
- Unreal condition: Jos minulla olisi aikaa, menisin. — "If I had time, I would go." In such sentences the conditional appears in both clauses.
- Wish: Olisipa jo kesä! — "If only it were summer already!"
- Advice/opinion: Minä ostaisin tämän. — "I would buy this one."
Negative and past
The negative uses ei as usual: en puhuisi (I wouldn't speak), en menisi. The past conditional ("would have done") is olla in the conditional + a participle: olisin puhunut — "I would have said (then)". For how the tenses work overall, see Finnish verb tenses, and for the bigger picture, How long it takes to learn Finnish.
Frequently asked questions
What is the konditionaali in Finnish?
It's the conditional mood — Finnish for "would": puhuisin (I would speak), tekisin (I would do). Its marker is -isi- between the stem and the ending.
How is the conditional formed?
Verb stem + -isi- + personal ending: puhu- + isi + n = puhuisin. With some verbs the stem vowel changes. The verb olla gives olisi.
Why is the conditional needed for politeness?
It softens a request: Haluan (I want) → Haluaisin (I would like), Voitko (can you) → Voisitko (could you). Without the conditional, a request sounds too blunt.
How do you say 'if' in Finnish?
The conditional goes in both clauses: Jos minulla olisi aikaa, menisin — "If I had time, I would go."
How is the conditional negative formed?
With ei + the form without its ending: en puhuisi (I wouldn't speak), et menisi, ei tulisi. The past conditional is olisin puhunut ("I would have said then").