Significado
The feeling of needing food.
Contexto cultural
Finns are very punctual about lunch. If someone says 'tulee nälkä' at 11:00, it's a serious social signal that the current activity should wrap up. Free school meals ensure that no child has to 'tulla nälkä' during the day. This is a point of national pride. In Finnish offices, 'kahvipaussi' (coffee break) often includes a small snack to prevent 'nälkä' from coming before the official lunch break. When hiking (retkeily), 'tulla nälkä' is expected. Finns always carry 'eväät' (packed snacks) like sausages to grill over a fire.
Use 'Alkaa'
Add 'alkaa' (to start) to sound more natural: 'Minulle alkaa tulla nälkä' (I'm starting to get hungry).
Case Matters
Never say 'Minä tulen nälkä'. It sounds like you are a person named Hunger who is arriving.
Significado
The feeling of needing food.
Use 'Alkaa'
Add 'alkaa' (to start) to sound more natural: 'Minulle alkaa tulla nälkä' (I'm starting to get hungry).
Case Matters
Never say 'Minä tulen nälkä'. It sounds like you are a person named Hunger who is arriving.
Polite Suggestion
Use this phrase to politely suggest it's time to stop a meeting or activity for a meal.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct form of 'tulla' and the correct pronoun case.
___ (Minä) ___ (tulla) nälkä jo kello kymmenen.
The person must be in the Allative case (Minulle) and the verb in 3rd person singular (tulee).
Which sentence describes the *start* of feeling hungry?
Choose the best option:
'Tulla nälkä' describes the onset or change of state, whereas 'olla nälkä' describes the current state.
Match the situation to the correct Finnish phrase.
Situation: You have been swimming for an hour and now you feel you need food.
Since the swimming is finished, the past tense 'tuli' is used to show the result.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Haluatko mennä syömään nyt? B: Joo, ___ (to me / came / hunger) jo puoli tuntia sitten.
The speaker is explaining that the feeling arrived half an hour ago.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Olla vs Tulla
Banco de exercicios
4 exercicios___ (Minä) ___ (tulla) nälkä jo kello kymmenen.
The person must be in the Allative case (Minulle) and the verb in 3rd person singular (tulee).
Choose the best option:
'Tulla nälkä' describes the onset or change of state, whereas 'olla nälkä' describes the current state.
Situation: You have been swimming for an hour and now you feel you need food.
Since the swimming is finished, the past tense 'tuli' is used to show the result.
A: Haluatko mennä syömään nyt? B: Joo, ___ (to me / came / hunger) jo puoli tuntia sitten.
The speaker is explaining that the feeling arrived half an hour ago.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasYes, it is grammatically correct and means 'I become hungry'. However, 'Minulle tulee nälkä' is much more common in spoken Finnish.
The verb 'tulla' implies movement or arrival to a destination. In Finnish, the destination for feelings is the Allative case (-lle).
Almost. 'Nälättää' is a verb that means 'to feel hungry'. 'Minua nälättää' is very common and slightly more casual.
You can say 'Minulla on suden nälkä' (I have a wolf's hunger) or 'Minä kuolen nälkään' (I'm dying of hunger).
Yes! Just swap 'nälkä' for 'jano'. 'Minulle tulee jano.'
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your friends, or your grandmother.
The verb stays singular: 'Meille tulee nälkä.'
Usually no. In the phrase 'tulla nälkä', it stays in the nominative. Only in very specific negative or partitive structures might it change.
Yes: 'Minulle tuli nälkä' (I got hungry).
It's a bit odd to say it *after* you've ordered, but common while waiting for the food to arrive.
Frases relacionadas
olla nälkä
similarTo be hungry
nälättää
synonymTo feel hungry
tulla jano
builds onTo get thirsty
kuolla nälkään
specialized formTo die of hunger (starve)
