olla menestys
be a success
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'olla menestys' to describe an event, project, or person that has achieved a high level of success or popularity.
- Means: To be a success or to turn out very well.
- Used in: Business reports, event reviews, and discussing personal achievements.
- Don't confuse: With 'menestyä', which is the verb form 'to succeed'.
Explanation at your level:
Bedeutung
To turn out well.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Finns often use litotes (understatement). While 'olla menestys' is used, you might more often hear 'ei se huonosti mennyt' (it didn't go badly) to mean it was a huge success. In the Finnish tech scene, 'olla menestys' is used more freely and boldly, reflecting a shift toward international standards of self-promotion. Finnish tabloids (Iltalehti, Ilta-Sanomat) love the word 'menestys' for headlines because it is short and impactful. Success in education is highly valued in Finland, but it's often described as 'pärjätä' (to get by/do well) rather than 'olla menestys'.
Use Intensifiers
To sound more like a native, use 'valtava' (huge) or 'huikea' (awesome) before 'menestys'.
Avoid 'Tehdä'
Never say 'tehdä menestys'. It's a classic 'finglish' mistake.
Bedeutung
To turn out well.
Use Intensifiers
To sound more like a native, use 'valtava' (huge) or 'huikea' (awesome) before 'menestys'.
Avoid 'Tehdä'
Never say 'tehdä menestys'. It's a classic 'finglish' mistake.
Modesty Matters
If someone calls your work a 'menestys', a typical Finnish response is 'Kiitos, se meni ihan hyvin' (Thanks, it went quite well).
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the phrase.
Eilinen konsertti ______ suuri menestys.
The phrase is 'olla menestys', and 'oli' is the past tense of 'olla'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct and idiomatic?
Choose the best option:
'Olla menestys' is the standard collocation for describing someone or something as a success.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural response.
A: Miten uuden sovelluksen lanseeraus meni? B: ____________________
'Se oli menestys' is the most natural way to report a successful outcome in a conversation.
Match the phrase variation to the correct context.
Match 'Kaupallinen menestys' to its context.
'Kaupallinen menestys' specifically refers to financial or commercial success.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Häufig gestellte Fragen
5 FragenYes, but it's more common to say 'Hän on menestynyt' (He is successful). Saying 'Hän on menestys' sounds like you are evaluating them as a 'product' or a 'result'.
'Menestys' is broader and often implies fame or wealth. 'Onnistuminen' is simply the act of succeeding in a task.
It's neutral. You can use it in a newspaper or with friends.
You can say 'Se oli floppi' (informal) or 'Se oli epäonnistuminen' (neutral).
Yes, it means 'to become a success'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
menestyä
similarto succeed
onnistua
similarto succeed / to manage
saavuttaa suosiota
builds onto gain popularity
olla hitti
informalto be a hit
epäonnistua
contrastto fail
Wo du es verwendest
After a business presentation
Pomo: Esityksesi oli todellinen menestys.
Työntekijä: Kiitos, teimme paljon töitä sen eteen.
Discussing a movie
Aino: Oliko uusi Bond-elokuva menestys?
Elias: Kyllä, se rikkoi kaikki ennätykset.
At a dinner party
Isäntä: Toivottavasti ruoka maistuu kaikille.
Vieras: Tämä risotto on aivan valtava menestys!
Job interview
Haastattelija: Mikä on suurin saavutuksesi?
Hakija: Viimeisin projektini oli suuri menestys ja lisäsi myyntiä 20 %.
Social media post
Vaikuttaja: Eilinen live-lähetys oli ihan huikea menestys! Kiitos kaikille!
Sports commentary
Selostaja: Suomen joukkueen taktiikka oli tänään täydellinen menestys.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Menestys' as 'Men-Success'—when things 'men' (go) well, you have success.
Visual Association
Imagine a Finnish skier crossing the finish line first. The crowd is cheering, and the commentator says, 'Se oli menestys!' (It was a success!).
Rhyme
Menestys on kehitys. (Success is development.)
Story
A young entrepreneur in Helsinki works day and night on a new app. On launch day, thousands of people download it. She looks at her team and says, 'Meidän kova työmme on vihdoin menestys.'
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to use 'olla menestys' in a sentence about something you did today, even if it was just making a good cup of coffee.
In Other Languages
Ser un éxito
Spanish often uses 'tener éxito' (to have success) for people, whereas Finnish prefers 'menestyä' or 'olla menestys'.
Être un succès
French uses 'un' (article), while Finnish has no articles.
Ein Erfolg sein
German requires the indefinite article 'ein'.
成功する (seikō suru)
Japanese focuses on the action of succeeding rather than the state of being a success.
كان نجاحاً (kana najahan)
The noun changes case in Arabic depending on its position in the sentence.
很成功 (hěn chénggōng)
Chinese doesn't use a 'to be' verb (shì) with adjectives/nouns in the same way Finnish does.
성공적이다 (seonggongjeog-ida)
The structure is more like 'to be success-like' than 'to be a success'.
Ser um sucesso
Portuguese often uses 'fazer sucesso' (to make success) to describe something currently popular.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'menestys' as an adjective.
Use 'menestys' as a noun (The project was a success) and 'menestyvä' as an adjective (He is a successful man).
Both mean 'successful' but are used differently.
'Menestyksekäs' is an adjective often used for long-term things like careers.
FAQ (5)
Yes, but it's more common to say 'Hän on menestynyt' (He is successful). Saying 'Hän on menestys' sounds like you are evaluating them as a 'product' or a 'result'.
'Menestys' is broader and often implies fame or wealth. 'Onnistuminen' is simply the act of succeeding in a task.
It's neutral. You can use it in a newspaper or with friends.
You can say 'Se oli floppi' (informal) or 'Se oli epäonnistuminen' (neutral).
Yes, it means 'to become a success'.
