Signification
Maintaining documentation.
Contexte culturel
Finns have a high level of trust in official records. 'Pitää kirjaa' is not just a personal habit but a societal expectation for transparency. In Finnish workplaces, 'pitää kirjaa' is associated with 'omatoimisuus' (initiative). Employees are expected to track their own hours and tasks without being asked. Finns love tracking nature observations (like the first snow or bird migrations) and sports stats. It's a national pastime. The transition from oral tradition to written records was a major turning point in Finnish identity, making 'pitää kirjaa' a symbol of modernization.
The 'Mist'-Rule
Always remember that the thing you are tracking ends in -sta or -stä. 'Pidän kirjaa autoista' (I keep track of cars).
Don't drop the 'a'
Saying 'pitää kirja' sounds like you are physically holding a book. Always use 'kirjaa' for tracking.
Signification
Maintaining documentation.
The 'Mist'-Rule
Always remember that the thing you are tracking ends in -sta or -stä. 'Pidän kirjaa autoista' (I keep track of cars).
Don't drop the 'a'
Saying 'pitää kirja' sounds like you are physically holding a book. Always use 'kirjaa' for tracking.
Use it in Job Interviews
Saying 'Pidän tarkkaa kirjaa tavoitteistani' (I keep close track of my goals) makes you sound very professional and organized to Finnish employers.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word in the correct case.
Minun täytyy pitää ______ (kirja) menoistani.
The phrase 'pitää kirjaa' always uses the partitive form of 'kirja'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
How do you say 'I keep track of the time'?
The object of tracking ('aika') must be in the elative case ('ajasta').
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Miten muistat kaikki nämä luvut?' B: 'Minä ______ ______ niistä vihkoon.'
'Pidän kirjaa' is the standard way to say you are tracking or recording information.
Match the situation to the correct phrase.
You are tracking your daily steps on your phone.
Uses partitive 'kirjaa' and elative 'askeleistani' (my steps).
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesMinun täytyy pitää ______ (kirja) menoistani.
The phrase 'pitää kirjaa' always uses the partitive form of 'kirja'.
How do you say 'I keep track of the time'?
The object of tracking ('aika') must be in the elative case ('ajasta').
A: 'Miten muistat kaikki nämä luvut?' B: 'Minä ______ ______ niistä vihkoon.'
'Pidän kirjaa' is the standard way to say you are tracking or recording information.
You are tracking your daily steps on your phone.
Uses partitive 'kirjaa' and elative 'askeleistani' (my steps).
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
5 questionsTechnically yes, but it usually implies some form of physical or digital record. For purely mental tracking, 'pitää mielessä' or 'seurata' is more common.
It is neutral. It's perfectly fine to use with friends or in a legal document.
'Pitää kirjaa' is the verb phrase (to keep track), while 'kirjanpito' is the noun (bookkeeping/accounting).
Yes, but be careful! It can sound like you are stalking someone or keeping a list of their mistakes. Use it only if there's a professional reason (like a teacher tracking a student).
Lopetin kirjan pitämisen (I stopped the keeping of the book) or 'En enää pidä kirjaa'.
Expressions liées
pitää lukua
synonymTo keep count
kirjata ylös
similarTo log down
merkitä muistiin
similarTo note down
seurata
builds onTo follow/track
