Finnish: the verb "pitää"

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The verb "pitää" can mean many things, and this article means to provide a quick list of different usages.

1 Pitää as in "to like"
2 Pitää as in "to think someone is something"
3 Pitää as in "to hold"
- 3.1 Pitää as in "hold together" ("not break")
- 3.2 Pidellä
4 Pitää as in "to keep" (for good)
5 Pitää as in "to have to"
6 Pidättää, pidätellä
7 Pitäisi (conditional)

Pitää as in "to like"

This is usually the first meaning people learn. "Pitää" means "to like" when the the object is in elative case (-sta/ -stä).

Minä pidän hänestä - I like him/her
En pidä tästä hameesta - I don't like this skirt
Pidätkö ideasta? - Do you like the idea?

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Pitää as in "to think someone is something"

When you want to express this, put the object in partitive, and the adjective in essive (-na/ -nä).

Sinä pidät minua tyhmänä - You think I'm stupid
Matti ei pidä autoa hyvänä - Matti doesn't think the car is good
Etkö sinä pidä ideaa viisaana? - Don't you think the idea is wise?

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Pitää as in "to hold"

"Pitää" means "to hold" when the object is in partitive case (-(t)a/ -(t)ä). Quite often one also specifies where the object is held.

Minä pidän vauvaa - I am holding the baby
Hän pitää koiranpentua sylissään - S/he is holding the puppy in her/his arms
Pidätkö tätä vähän aikaa? - Could you hold this for a while?

In Finnish, clothes are also "held". Thus "pitää" can also translate as "to wear":

Maija pitää tänään kaulahuivia - Maija is wearing a scarf today
Mikko ei pidä housuja - Mikko doesn't wear pants
Pidätkö huomenna hametta? - Will you wear a skirt tomorrow?

In Finnish, pets and farm animals are also "held", not "kept" as in English:

Pidätkö lemmikkiä? - Do you keep a pet?

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Pitää as in "hold together" ("not break")

Things can also hold as in "not break". Then there either is no object, or it is in partitive.

Tämä sopimus pitää - This contract holds
Tuo asu pitää vettä - That outfit is waterproof ("holds water")
Kyllä tämä solmu pitää! - This knot will hold!

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Pidellä

Pidellä literally means "to casually hold", and it is commonly used to mean "to hold in one's hands".

Pitelen vauvaa - I'm holding the baby
Piteletkö laukkuani hetken? - Will you hold my bag for a moment?

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Pitää as in "to keep" (for good)

When the object is in accusative, "pitää" means "to keep" (for good).

Minä pidän tämän salaisuuden sydämessäni - I will keep this secret in my heart
Haluatko sinä pitää koiranpennun? - Do you want to keep the puppy?
Aion pitää poikaystäväni - I intend to keep my boyfriend

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Pitää as in "to have to"

Combined with another verb, and putting the object in partitve, and the subject in genitive, makes "pitää" mean "to have to". When negative, it means "mustn't".

Minun pitää auttaa häntä! - I have to help him/her!
Sinun ei pidä lyödä siskoasi! - You mustn't hit your sister!
Pitääkö minun mennä nyt? - Must I go now?

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Pidättää, pidätellä

"Pidättää" literally means "to have someone be held", and means "to arrest".

"Pidätellä" literally means "to casually have someone be held", and is used in these ways:

En pidättele sinua pitempään - I won't keep you any longer (from your other chores). [Said on the phone for example]
Pidätteletkö toiveita siitä, että hän palaa? - Are you entertaining hopes that s/he will return? ["toiveita" always in plural]
Mikko pidättelee hengitystään - Mikko is holding his breath

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