When you want to say that you visit somewhere or someone, the verb you need is vierailla. It's a B1-level word, but you'll hear it often in everyday Finnish.
For example, you can say Minä vierailen ystäväni luona (I visit my friend) or Me vierailimme museossa (We visited the museum). Notice that with places, you'll often use an inessive or allative case, and with people, you'll use luona.
When you're learning Finnish at the B1 level, you're moving beyond basic survival phrases. You can understand and produce more complex sentences, and you're comfortable with a wider range of vocabulary. The verb vierailla, meaning 'to visit', is a good example of a useful verb at this stage. You'll use it to talk about visiting places, people, or events. Understanding how to conjugate it and use it in different contexts will help you express yourself more fluently in Finnish.
Wusstest du?
The word 'vieras' (guest/stranger) shares roots with 'vierailla' (to visit), highlighting the historical connection between visiting and being a guest.
Schwierigkeitsgrad
short
short
short
short
Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest
Als Nächstes lernen
Fortgeschritten
Beispiele nach Niveau
Aion vierailla ystäväni luona viikonloppuna.
I am going to visit my friend over the weekend.
Haluaisin vierailla Suomessa ensi kesänä.
I would like to visit Finland next summer.
Olemme vierailleet monissa maissa Euroopassa.
We have visited many countries in Europe.
Onko sinulla aikaa vierailla mummolassa tänään?
Do you have time to visit grandma's place today?
Lapset rakastavat vierailla eläintarhassa.
Children love to visit the zoo.
Voimme vierailla museossa ennen konserttia.
We can visit the museum before the concert.
Harvoin vierailen vanhempieni luona nykyään.
I rarely visit my parents nowadays.
He vierailivat meillä eilen illalla.
They visited us last night.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Milloin voin tulla vierailemaan?
When can I come to visit?
Haluaisin vierailla luonasi.
I would like to visit you.
Tulen vierailemaan ensi viikolla.
I will come to visit next week.
Olemme menossa vierailemaan heidän luokseen.
We are going to visit them.
Hän vierailee meillä usein.
He/she visits us often.
Onko sinulla aikaa vierailla?
Do you have time to visit?
Voimmeko vierailla huomenna?
Can we visit tomorrow?
Milloinkahan voisin tulla vierailemaan?
I wonder when I could come to visit?
Käyn vierailemassa silloin tällöin.
I visit every now and then.
Minun täytyy vierailla hänen luonaan.
I have to visit him/her.
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"olla vieraisilla"
to be visiting (somewhere/someone)
Olin eilen vieraisilla mummon luona. (Yesterday I was visiting at grandma's.)
neutral"vierailla jonkun luona"
to visit someone's place
Haluaisin vierailla ystävieni luona ensi viikolla. (I would like to visit my friends' place next week.)
neutral"vierailla jossakin paikassa"
to visit some place
Vierailimme museossa viime lauantaina. (We visited the museum last Saturday.)
neutral"tehdä vierailu"
to make a visit
Teimme lyhyen vierailun sukulaisten luo. (We made a short visit to our relatives.)
neutral"käydä kylässä"
to visit (more casual, often implies a short social visit)
Kävimme kylässä naapurien luona. (We visited our neighbors.)
informal"tulla kylään"
to come to visit
Voitko tulla kylään huomenna? (Can you come to visit tomorrow?)
informal"vierailuajanvaraus"
visiting hours booking (specific to institutional visits)
Tarkista vierailuajanvaraus sairaalan verkkosivuilta. (Check the visiting hours booking on the hospital's website.)
formal"olla vieraana"
to be a guest
Olimme vieraana heidän häissään. (We were guests at their wedding.)
neutral"vierailukutsu"
invitation to visit
Saimme vierailukutsun ulkomailta. (We received an invitation to visit from abroad.)
neutral"vierailulla"
on a visit
Olen vierailulla vanhempieni luona viikonlopun. (I am on a visit to my parents' place for the weekend.)
neutralSo verwendest du es
Usage Notes for 'vierailla'
The verb vierailla means 'to visit' and is commonly used when talking about visiting people, places, or events. It's a versatile verb, but pays attention to the case of the object it takes.
- When visiting a person or people, 'vierailla' typically takes the adessive case (-lla/-llä). For example, Vierailin ystävälläni (I visited my friend).
- When visiting a place or event, 'vierailla' often takes the inessive case (-ssa/-ssä), especially if you are entering the place. For example, Vierailimme museoissa (We visited museums). However, if you are visiting a place more generally or briefly, the adessive case can also be used, similar to people.
Examples:
- Vierailin eilen mummollani. (I visited my grandmother yesterday.) (Here, mummo is in the adessive case because you are visiting a person.)
- He vierailevat usein Tampereen kaupungissa. (They often visit the city of Tampere.) (Here, Tampereen kaupunki is in the inessive case, implying visiting within the city.)
- Haluaisin vierailla Suomessa. (I would like to visit Finland.) (Again, inessive case for visiting a country.)
- Vierailemmeko huomenna serkkujemme luona? (Shall we visit our cousins tomorrow?) (Here, 'luona' is used with the genitive plural of 'serkku' to indicate visiting at someone's place.)
Common Mistakes with 'vierailla'
One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make with 'vierailla' is incorrectly applying cases to the object of the verb. Finnish cases can be tricky, but understanding the general rules for 'vierailla' will help.
- Using the wrong case for people: A common error is to use the partitive or genitive when visiting a person. Remember to use the adessive case (-lla/-llä). For example, instead of saying *"Vierailin ystävän"* (incorrect partitive) or *"Vierailin ystävän"* (incorrect genitive), say "Vierailin ystävälläni" (I visited my friend).
- Confusing inessive and adessive for places: While both can be used for places, remember the nuance. If you are 'in' the place (entering, staying inside), inessive (-ssa/-ssä) is often more appropriate. If it's a more general or brief visit, adessive (-lla/-llä) might work, but inessive is safer for entering a location. For instance, while *"Vierailin museolla"* (I visited at the museum) is understandable, "Vierailin museoissa" (I visited museums) is more natural when talking about visiting the place itself.
- Direct translation of 'visit to': Avoid directly translating phrases like 'visit to my friend' with a dative-like structure (e.g., *"vierailla ystävälle"*). Finnish uses cases directly with the verb.
Tipps
Basic Usage of Vierailla
Vierailla means to visit. It's a common verb, so get used to seeing it.
Who and What You Visit
When you visit a person or a place, the object of vierailla is often in the allative case (-lle). For example: Minä vierailen ystävälle. (I visit a friend.)
Visiting an Event or Organization
Sometimes, when you visit an event or organization, the illative case (-an/-än) or inessive case (-ssa/-ssä) can be used, depending on context. For example: Vierailimme museoossa. (We visited the museum.)
Past Tense of Vierailla
The past tense of vierailla is vieraili. For example: Hän vieraili eilen. (He visited yesterday.)
Don't confuse with Käydä
While käydä can also mean to visit, it often implies a shorter or more casual visit. Vierailla suggests a more deliberate or extended visit. Käydä kaupassa (go to the store) vs. vierailla sukulaisten luona (visit relatives).
Related Noun: Vierailu
The noun form of vierailla is vierailu, meaning a visit. For example: Mukava vierailu! (A nice visit!)
Asking 'Have you visited...?'
To ask if someone has visited a place, you can say: Oletko vieraillut Pariisissa? (Have you visited Paris?)
Formal vs. Informal
Vierailla can be used in both formal and informal contexts. There isn't a specific informal equivalent you need to worry about right now.
Common Phrases with Vierailla
You'll often hear vierailla with adverbs of time or frequency. For example: Vierailen usein kirjastossa. (I often visit the library.)
Practice with Examples
The best way to learn is to practice. Try to make your own sentences using vierailla. Example: Haluan vierailla ystävieni luona. (I want to visit my friends.)
Wortherkunft
Proto-Finnic *vieras
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: stranger, guest
Uralic, FinnicKultureller Kontext
In Finnish culture, visiting someone's home is often a more informal affair than in some other cultures. It's common to take off your shoes upon entering, and offering coffee or a light snack is typical. Finns appreciate punctuality, but a few minutes of leeway is usually fine for informal visits.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenTo conjugate 'vierailla' (to visit) in the present tense, you'll generally follow these patterns:
• **Minä** vierail**en** (I visit)
• **Sinä** vierail**et** (You visit - singular, informal)
• **Hän/Se** vierail**ee** (He/She/It visits)
• **Me** vierail**emme** (We visit)
• **Te** vierail**ette** (You visit - plural or formal)
• **He/Ne** vierail**evat** (They visit)
When using 'vierailla' (to visit), the place you are visiting usually takes the **allative case** (-lle). This indicates movement towards a place.
For example:
• **Minä vierailen ystäväni luo.** (I visit my friend's place.)
• **Me vierailimme mummolaan.** (We visited grandma's house.)
• **Hän vieraili museoon.** (He/She visited the museum.)
'Vierailla' is a standard and neutral verb. It's appropriate for both formal and informal situations. There isn't a separate, more informal verb for 'to visit' in Finnish that is commonly used.
You can use 'vierailla' for visiting both people and places. It's a versatile verb.
Examples:
• **Minä vierailen perheeni luona.** (I visit my family.) - Visiting people
• **Me vierailimme Tampereella.** (We visited Tampere.) - Visiting a place
Both 'vierailla' and 'käydä' can mean 'to visit,' but they have slight differences in nuance.
• **Vierailla** implies a more intentional, perhaps longer, or more significant visit, often involving spending time with someone or at a place. It suggests 'making a visit.'
• **Käydä** often implies a shorter, quicker visit, or just 'dropping by.' It can also mean 'to go' or 'to attend' more generally.
Think of 'vierailla' as visiting for a purpose, and 'käydä' as just making a quick stop or going somewhere generally.
To form questions with 'vierailla', you generally put the verb first, or use question words.
• **Vierailetko sinä usein vanhempiesi luona?** (Do you often visit your parents?)
• **Milloin he vierailivat Suomessa?** (When did they visit Finland?)
• **Kenellä te vierailitte?** (Whom did you visit?)
The past tense (imperfect) of 'vierailla' is formed by adding -i- to the stem and then the personal ending.
• **Minä vierailin** (I visited)
• **Sinä vierailit** (You visited)
• **Hän/Se vieraili** (He/She/It visited)
• **Me vierailimme** (We visited)
• **Te vierailitte** (You visited)
• **He/Ne vierailivat** (They visited)
Yes, 'vierailla' can be used in passive constructions, though it's less common than with transitive verbs. You'll typically see it in the impersonal passive.
• **Museossa vierailtiin eilen.** (The museum was visited yesterday.)
• **Juhlissa vierailtiin paljon.** (There was a lot of visiting at the party.)
While 'vierailla' is quite direct, you'll often hear it in contexts like:
• **Vierailla luonaan** (to visit someone's place/personally)
• **Vierailla jossain tapahtumassa** (to visit/attend an event)
It's generally used straightforwardly rather than in complex idioms.
The imperative (command) forms of 'vierailla' are:
• **Vieraile!** (Visit! - singular informal)
• **Vierailkaa!** (Visit! - plural or formal)
Example: **Vieraile meillä useammin!** (Visit us more often!)
Teste dich selbst 42 Fragen
What are they planning to do this weekend?
Where did she go yesterday?
Who do they need to visit more often?
Read this aloud:
Haluaisin vierailla Suomessa ensi vuonna.
Focus: vie-rail-la
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Voimmeko vierailla teillä huomenna?
Focus: voi-me-ko
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Milloin aiot vierailla heidän luonaan?
Focus: mil-loin
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a short sentence about visiting a friend. Use 'vierailla'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Minä vierailen ystäväni luona. (I visit my friend's place.)
Form a sentence asking if someone wants to visit Helsinki. Use 'vierailla'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Haluatko vierailla Helsingissä? (Do you want to visit Helsinki?)
Describe a past visit to a museum in a simple sentence. Use 'vierailla'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Minä vierailin museossa eilen. (I visited a museum yesterday.)
Mitä minä aion tehdä huomenna?
Read this passage:
Huomenna minä aion vierailla isoäitini luona. Hän asuu maalla ja me juomme kahvia yhdessä. Minä pidän vierailuista hänen luonaan.
Mitä minä aion tehdä huomenna?
The passage states 'Huomenna minä aion vierailla isoäitini luona.' (Tomorrow I am going to visit my grandmother's place.)
The passage states 'Huomenna minä aion vierailla isoäitini luona.' (Tomorrow I am going to visit my grandmother's place.)
Minne lapset haluavat mennä?
Read this passage:
Lapset haluavat vierailla eläintarhassa. Siellä on paljon eläimiä, kuten apinoita ja leijonia. He ovat innoissaan.
Minne lapset haluavat mennä?
The passage says 'Lapset haluavat vierailla eläintarhassa.' (The children want to visit the zoo.)
The passage says 'Lapset haluavat vierailla eläintarhassa.' (The children want to visit the zoo.)
Mitä minä tein työmatkalla?
Read this passage:
Työmatkalla minä vierailin useissa kaupungeissa. Se oli mielenkiintoista, mutta myös väsyttävää. Opin paljon uusia asioita.
Mitä minä tein työmatkalla?
The text states 'Työmatkalla minä vierailin useissa kaupungeissa.' (On a business trip, I visited several cities.)
The text states 'Työmatkalla minä vierailin useissa kaupungeissa.' (On a business trip, I visited several cities.)
Me menemme huomenna ___ ystäviämme.
The 'maan' ending is used with verbs of motion to indicate the purpose of going somewhere.
Hän aikoo ___ sukulaisiaan ensi viikolla.
When 'aikoa' (to intend) is used, the main verb takes its basic infinitive form.
Lapset haluavat ___ eläintarhassa.
The verb 'haluta' (to want) is followed by the basic infinitive form of the verb.
Olen käynyt monta kertaa ___ isovanhempieni luona.
The 'massa' form is used with 'käydä' (to go/visit) to express the purpose or activity of the visit.
Meidän täytyy ___ uudet naapurit pian.
'Täytyy' (must) is followed by the basic infinitive form of the verb.
He eivät ehtineet ___ meitä eilen.
'Ehtiä' (to have time) is followed by the basic infinitive form of the verb.
This sentence means 'I am going to visit my friend this weekend.' The correct order follows typical Finnish sentence structure.
This sentence means 'I would like to visit the museum next month.' The verb 'vierailla' is followed by the place you are visiting.
This sentence means 'Can we visit grandma's house in the summer?' The structure is a question asking about visiting.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: He usually ____ his grandparents on weekends. (Hän yleensä ____ isovanhempiaan viikonloppuisin.)
The verb 'vierailla' (to visit) needs to be conjugated in the third person singular present tense, which is 'vierailee'.
Which of these sentences correctly uses the verb 'vierailla'?
The correct conjugation for 'minä' (I) is 'vierailen', and 'luona' (at someone's place) is used to indicate visiting a person.
Which sentence describes someone visiting a new city?
The inessive case (-ssa/-ssä) is used with 'vierailla' when visiting a place, meaning 'in the new city'.
The sentence 'He visited the museum' translates to 'He vierailivat museossa'.
'Vierailivat' is the correct past tense for 'he' (they), and 'museossa' (in the museum) uses the inessive case for a place.
You can say 'Minä aion vierailla ystävääni' to mean 'I am going to visit my friend'.
When visiting a person, 'luona' (at someone's place) is typically used: 'Minä aion vierailla ystäväni luona'.
'Vierailla' is always followed by the genitive case when referring to a person.
'Vierailla' is usually followed by the adessive case (-lla/-llä) or 'luona' when referring to a person, not the genitive.
The Finnish sentence structure generally follows Subject-Verb-Object, similar to English, but 'luona' (at their place) is used with 'vierailla' to indicate visiting a person's home.
In Finnish, the verb 'vierailla' takes the 'missä' form (inessive case) for places, so 'mökillämme' (at our cottage) is correct.
The perfect tense 'oletko vieraillut' (have you visited) is used, and 'saaristossa' (in the archipelago) is in the inessive case.
The visitors' arrival was unexpected but delightful.
They decided to visit their grandmother on Sunday.
The visit to Finnish Lapland was worth the long journey.
Read this aloud:
Minun täytyy ehdottomasti vierailla suvun vanhalla kotitilalla ensi kesänä, sillä se on paikka, johon liittyy niin paljon muistoja ja tarinoita sukupolvien takaa.
Focus: vierailla
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Onko sinulla suunnitelmia vierailla ystävien luona joulunpyhinä, vai vietätkö ne mieluummin rauhallisesti kotioloissa perheen kesken?
Focus: ystävien luona
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Museoon kannattaa vierailla useammankin kerran, sillä sen näyttelyt vaihtuvat säännöllisesti ja jokaisella vierailulla löytää aina jotain uutta ja mielenkiintoista.
Focus: useammankin kerran
Du hast gesagt:
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/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Basic Usage of Vierailla
Vierailla means to visit. It's a common verb, so get used to seeing it.
Who and What You Visit
When you visit a person or a place, the object of vierailla is often in the allative case (-lle). For example: Minä vierailen ystävälle. (I visit a friend.)
Visiting an Event or Organization
Sometimes, when you visit an event or organization, the illative case (-an/-än) or inessive case (-ssa/-ssä) can be used, depending on context. For example: Vierailimme museoossa. (We visited the museum.)
Past Tense of Vierailla
The past tense of vierailla is vieraili. For example: Hän vieraili eilen. (He visited yesterday.)
