että

See also: etta, Etta, ettâ, etta-, -etta, and -étta

Finnish

Alternative forms

• et (colloquial)

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *että, from Proto-Uralic *e- (“this”) +‎ -tta (suffix indicating manner). Cognate with Estonian et, Erzya эте (ete), while the Uralic root is also found in Hungarian ez.

According to Häkkinen (2004), the original sense was probably “like this, thus”; semantic influence from the similar-sounding Swedish att, Old Swedish at is likely, and probably occurred in the written language.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈetːæ/, [ˈe̞t̪ːæ]
• Rhymes: -etːæ
• Syllabification^(key): et‧tä
• Hyphenation^(key): et‧tä

Conjunction

että (subordinating)

1. that (conjunction indicating that the subordinate clause is the object of the verb of the main clause)

   Synonym: [referative construction]

   On hauskaa, että tulit. ― It's fun to see that you came here.

   Tiedän, että osaan tehdä sen. ― I know (that) I can do it.

   Hän sanoi, että kaikki kääntyisi vielä parhain päin. ― He said that things would still turn out fine.

2. that (introducing a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence or effect)

   juoksi, että ei jalkoja näkynyt ― ran (so fast) that you couldn't see the legs

   Metelöin niin kovaa, että naapuri heräsi. ― I made such a loud racket that the neighbor woke up.

   Tiedän, että hän kärsi masennuksesta, mutta varmastikaan hän ei menisi niin pitkälle, että tappaisi itsensä? ― I know he suffered from depression, but surely he wouldn't go so far as to (that [he] would) kill himself?

3. that (introducing a subordinate clause expressing a reason or cause)

   Ole onnellinen, että sinulla on katto pään päällä. ― Be glad that you have a roof over your head.

   1. because (when preceded by a particle like siksi; on its own archaic)

      Synonym: koska

      Jouduin maksamaan sakon siksi, että ajoin ylinopeutta. ― I had to pay a fine because I speeded.

4. in order to, to, so that, that (as a means of achieving the specified end)

   Synonym: jotta

   Vahdi kattilaa, ettei maito kiehu yli. ― Watch the pot so that the milk won't boil over.

5. that (introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adjective or adverb)

   Ulkona on jo niin kylmä, että tarvitsee talvitakin. ― It's already so cold outside that you need a winter coat.

6. that (introducing a direct or an indirect quotation)
   • 1994, Martti Turtola, Risto Ryti - elämä isänmaan puolesta, →ISBN:

     Jalanti kirjoitti, että »minusta on hyvin tärkeää, että hän on täällä kaiken varalta».

     Jalanti wrote that "I find it very important that he be here in case he is needed".

7. (often informal) Used to introduce subordinate interrogative clauses.

   Jäin miettimään, että mitäköhän ihmettä taas oli tapahtunut? ― I was left thinking what on earth had happened again.

   Et voi tosissasi väittää, etteikö hän olisi yrittänyt. ― You can't seriously claim that he didn't try.

8. (emphatic) Used to introduce a clause, particularly when asking to confirm something someone else said, or when expressing a conclusion one has come to.

   Että täälläkö ei saisi kuvata! ― So (you're saying that) I can't film here!

   Vai että sitä ollaan oltu taas juhlimassa. ― Oh so you have been partying again.

9. that (introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise)

   Voi että osaa ihminen olla itsepäinen! ― Oh how selfish a human can be!

   Että joku voi tehdä sellaista! ― Imagine doing such a thing!

Usage notes

Negative contractions for että
basic form	että
negative	singular	plural
1st person	etten	ettemme
2nd person	ettet	ettette
3rd person	ettei	etteivät
These contractions are used with the indicative forms of the negative verb ei. They are common, but optional.

• Traditionally not really used in South Ostrobothnian, most Karelian, Ingrian and Värmland Savonian dialects, in which jotta was used instead.

Synonyms

• jotta (dialectal)

Derived terms

• sekä ... että

See also

• suotta

Further reading

• “että”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

Ingrian

Etymology 1

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈetːæ/, [ˈe̞tː]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈetːæ/, [ˈe̞tːæ]
• (Hevaha) IPA^(key): /ˈetːæ/, [ˈe̞tːæ]
• Rhymes: -etː, -etːæ
• Hyphenation: et‧tä

Verb

että

1. second-person plural present of ei

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈetːæ/, [ˈe̞tː]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈetːæ/, [ˈe̞tːæ]
• Rhymes: -etː, -etːæ
• Hyphenation: et‧tä

Noun

että

1. partitive singular of esi

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971), Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 29
• Arvo Laanest (1997), Isuri keele Hevaha murde sõnastik, Eesti Keele Instituut, page 24