How do you express likelihood or possibility in Finnish? Learn these expressions and example sentences!

Some of the example sentences on the video above are in spoken Finnish, puhekieli. Bear in mind that the puhekieli in these sentences are just one variety – there are many ways to say the same things. You’ll find the standard Finnish version in the list below.

ehkä = maybe, perhaps

Ehkä mä syön tänään jotain nopeeta ja helppoa. = Maybe today I will eat something fast and easy.

Standard Finnish:

Ehkä minä syön tänään jotain nopeaa ja helppoa.

luultavasti = probably

Huomenna on luultavasti vähän kylmempi kuin tänään. = Tomorrow it’s probably going to be a little bit colder than today.

todennäköisesti = probably, (very) likely

Me pääsemme todennäköisesti lähtemään töistä jo puolilta päivin. = We are probably going to be able to leave work already around midday.

mahdollisesti = possibly

Tämä on mahdollisesti paras ja nopein reitti. = This is possibly the best and the fastest route.

ehdottomasti = definitely, absolutely

Mä haluan ehdottomasti tulla sun mukaan. = I definitely want to come with you.

Standard Finnish:

Minä haluan ehdottomasti tulla sinun mukaasi.

ilmeisesti = apparently, it seems that

Sä et ilmeisesti tykkää kasviksista, kun sä et syönyt niitä ollenkaan. = It seems like you don’t like vegetables, seeing as you didn’t eat any of them.

Standard Finnish:

Sinä et ilmeisesti tykkää kasviksista, kun et syönyt niitä ollenkaan.

epäilemättä = undoubtedly, certainly

Suomi on epäilemättä aika kylmä maa. Finland certainly is quite a cold country.

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