A1 Collocation ニュートラル

Sataa lunta

It is snowing

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'Sataa lunta' to describe the magical moment when snow falls from the Finnish sky.

  • Means: 'It is snowing' or literally 'It rains snow'.
  • Used in: Daily weather updates, small talk, and winter descriptions.
  • Don't confuse: Never say 'Lumi sataa'; the snow (lunta) must be in partitive.
☁️ + ❄️ (Partitive Case) = 🌨️ (Sataa lunta)

Explanation at your level:

In Finnish, we say 'sataa lunta' to mean 'it is snowing'. 'Sataa' is the verb for rain or snow. 'Lunta' is the word for snow. You use this when you look outside and see white snow falling. It is very simple and important for winter.
At this level, you should notice that 'sataa lunta' doesn't have a subject like 'it'. You just start with the verb. 'Lunta' is in the partitive case because snow is a substance. You can say 'Ulkona sataa lunta' (It is snowing outside) or 'Eilen satoi lunta' (Yesterday it snowed).
Intermediate learners should use 'sataa lunta' in various tenses and with adverbs. For example, 'On satanut lunta koko päivän' (It has been snowing all day). You should also distinguish it from 'sataa räntää' (sleet) and understand that the partitive 'lunta' is used because the action is continuous and the amount is indefinite.
At the B2 level, you can integrate 'sataa lunta' into more complex sentences involving conditions or causes. 'Vaikka sataa lunta, me menemme ulos' (Even though it's snowing, we are going out). You should also be familiar with more descriptive verbs like 'pyryttää' (to snow heavily) which can often replace the basic 'sataa lunta' in specific contexts.
Advanced learners should appreciate the stylistic simplicity of 'sataa lunta' versus more literary expressions. You might analyze how the phrase functions in Finnish literature to create atmosphere. You should also be comfortable using it in the passive or with modal verbs: 'Saattaa sataa lunta' (It might snow). The focus is on perfect naturalness and rhythmic placement in speech.
At a near-native level, 'sataa lunta' is understood within the broader context of Finnish meteorological nuances. You recognize the subtle shift in meaning when a speaker chooses this basic form over highly specific dialectal terms for snow. You understand the cognitive link between the verb 'sataa' and the Finnish perception of atmospheric phenomena as a unified category of falling substances, reflecting a deep-seated linguistic heritage.

意味

Winter weather.

🌍

文化的背景

The 'ensilumi' (first snow) is a psychological turning point for Finns, bringing light to the dark autumn. The Sami people have hundreds of words for different types of snow conditions, reflecting its importance for reindeer herding. Heavy snowfall in cities leads to 'lumikaaos' (snow chaos), a common headline in newspapers. Snow is often used as a metaphor for silence, peace, or isolation in Finnish poetry.

💡

The Partitive Rule

Always remember 'lunta'. If you say 'lumi', a Finn will understand you but it will sound very 'foreign'.

⚠️

No 'It'

Don't start with 'Se' (It). Just start with 'Sataa'.

意味

Winter weather.

💡

The Partitive Rule

Always remember 'lunta'. If you say 'lumi', a Finn will understand you but it will sound very 'foreign'.

⚠️

No 'It'

Don't start with 'Se' (It). Just start with 'Sataa'.

🎯

Small Talk Gold

If you don't know what to say to a Finn, just look out the window and say 'Sataa lunta'. They will agree with 'Niin sataa'.

自分をテスト

Fill in the correct form of 'snow' in the partitive case.

Ulkona sataa ______.

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: lunta

The partitive case 'lunta' is required after the weather verb 'sataa'.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

How do you say 'It is snowing'?

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: Lunta sataa.

Finnish doesn't use 'se' as a dummy subject, and 'lunta' must be partitive.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Sataako ulkona? B: Kyllä, ______.

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: sataa lunta

Given the winter context of this lesson, 'sataa lunta' is the logical answer.

Match the sentence to the situation.

You see the first snow of the year.

✓ 正解！ ✗ おしい！ 正解: Sataa ensilunta.

'Ensilumi' specifically refers to the first snow of the season.

🎉 スコア： /4

ビジュアル学習ツール

Winter Vocabulary

🌨️

Action

  • • sataa lunta
  • • pyryttää
  • • tuiskuttaa

よくある質問

10 問

Yes, changing the order is common in spoken language to emphasize the snow.

It is neutral and used in all contexts, from news to slang.

You can say 'Sataa vähän lunta'.

Because snow is an uncountable substance in an ongoing action, requiring the partitive case.

Lumisade lakkasi.

No, Finnish uses the collocation 'sataa lunta'.

Yes, if it's falling from a machine, you can still say 'sataa lunta'.

It means 'first snow' of the season.

Yes, for past tense use 'satoi'.

Constantly! It's a staple of Finnish Christmas and winter music.

関連フレーズ

🔗

sataa vettä

similar

to rain

🔗

sataa räntää

similar

to sleet

🔗

pyryttää

specialized form

to snow heavily with wind

🔄

tulla lunta

synonym

snow is coming

どこで使う？

🪟

Looking out the window

A: Katso ulos!

B: Oho, sataa lunta!

neutral
📺

Weather forecast

Meteorologi: Huomenna sataa lunta koko maassa.

Katsoja: Täytyy vaihtaa talvirenkaat.

formal
📱

Texting a friend

Minna: Täällä sataa lunta! Mennäänkö ulos?

Ville: Joo, mennään hiihtämään!

informal
☕

Small talk at work

Työntekijä 1: Aika kovaa sataa lunta tänään.

Työntekijä 2: Niin sataa, onneksi tulin bussilla.

neutral
🚗

Driving a car

Kuski: Alkoi sataa lunta, täytyy ajaa varovasti.

Matkustaja: Joo, näkyvyys on huono.

neutral
✈️

Travel planning

Turisti: Sataako Lapissa lunta joulukuussa?

Opas: Kyllä, siellä sataa melkein aina lunta silloin.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Sataa' as 'Sat on' and 'Lunta' as 'Lint' (white fluff). I 'Sat on' the white 'Lint' (snow).

Visual Association

Imagine a giant cloud sitting on a Finnish forest, shaking out white powdered sugar (lunta) from a giant sifter.

Rhyme

Sataa lunta, nähdään unta. (It's snowing, we are dreaming.)

Story

You are in Helsinki. You look up and see 'Sataa' (the sky pouring). You catch a flake and realize it's 'Lunta' (the partitive substance of winter). You smile because now you can go skiing.

Word Web

lumisadetalvipakkanenhiutalepyryhankilatu

チャレンジ

Every time you see a white car today, whisper 'Sataa lunta' to yourself to associate the color white with the phrase.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Nieva

Spanish uses a dedicated verb, while Finnish uses 'to rain' + 'snow'.

French low

Il neige

French requires a subject; Finnish forbids it.

German low

Es schneit

German is subject-prominent; Finnish is verb-initial for weather.

Japanese high

雪が降る (Yuki ga furu)

Japanese uses 'fall' (furu), while Finnish uses 'rain' (sataa).

Arabic moderate

تثلج (Tuthlij)

Arabic is a single-word verb; Finnish is a two-word collocation.

Chinese high

下雪 (Xià xuě)

The verb 'xià' is more general than the Finnish 'sataa'.

Korean high

눈이 온다 (Nun-i onda)

Korean uses 'come', while standard Finnish uses 'rain'.

Portuguese low

Está nevando

Portuguese uses the auxiliary 'to be'; Finnish is a simple impersonal verb.

Easily Confused

Sataa lunta 対 Sataa rakeita

Learners confuse snow with hail.

Snow (lunta) is soft and white; hail (rakeita) is hard ice balls.

Sataa lunta 対 Maa on valkoinen

Learners use this to mean it's snowing.

This means the ground is already white, not that snow is currently falling.

よくある質問 (10)

Yes, changing the order is common in spoken language to emphasize the snow.

It is neutral and used in all contexts, from news to slang.

You can say 'Sataa vähän lunta'.

Because snow is an uncountable substance in an ongoing action, requiring the partitive case.

Lumisade lakkasi.

No, Finnish uses the collocation 'sataa lunta'.

Yes, if it's falling from a machine, you can still say 'sataa lunta'.

It means 'first snow' of the season.

Yes, for past tense use 'satoi'.

Constantly! It's a staple of Finnish Christmas and winter music.

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