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A2 adverb 8 min de leitura

todella

Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas todella em 30 segundos

Explicação todella in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'todella' is taught as a simple intensifier to boost the meaning of basic adjectives. You use it just like 'very' in English. If you know 'hyvä' (good) and 'kaunis' (beautiful), adding 'todella' before them (todella hyvä, todella kaunis) allows you to express more enthusiasm. It's a key word for basic survival Finnish because it helps you give feedback on food, weather, or people. You don't need to worry about complex grammar; just remember it goes before the word you want to emphasize. It's one of the first 'power words' that makes your limited vocabulary feel more expressive. At this stage, focus on the 'very' meaning.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the A2 level, you start using 'todella' to ask for confirmation and to express surprise. You might hear someone say something shocking, and you respond with 'Todellako?' (Really?). You also begin to see 'todella' used with verbs, not just adjectives. For example, 'Minä todella haluan oppia suomea' (I really want to learn Finnish). You should also start noticing the difference between 'todella' and its spoken-language cousin 'tosi.' While 'tosi' is very common, using 'todella' in your writing or class presentations shows a better grasp of standard Finnish grammar. You are moving from simple descriptions to expressing actual intent and interest.

At the B1 level, you should be able to use 'todella' to add nuance to your storytelling and opinions. You understand that 'todella' indicates a higher level of certainty or intensity than 'aika' (quite) or 'melko' (rather). You can use it in more complex sentence structures, such as 'Olin todella yllättynyt, kun kuulin uutiset' (I was really surprised when I heard the news). You also begin to recognize its role in formal contexts, such as work emails or polite requests. At this level, you should be careful not to over-rely on it as a filler word, instead choosing it when you truly want to emphasize a point. You also start to learn fixed expressions like 'todellakin' (indeed).

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the B2 level, 'todella' is used with precision to distinguish between subjective feeling and objective fact. You can use it to emphasize an entire clause: 'Se, mitä hän teki, oli todella vastoin sääntöjä' (What he did was truly against the rules). You understand the stylistic difference between 'todella' and alternatives like 'erittäin' or 'varsin.' You also use 'todella' in argumentative speech to strengthen your position. For example, 'Tämä on todella merkittävä kysymys yhteiskunnan kannalta' (This is a truly significant question for society). Your use of the word becomes more rhythmic, helping you sound more like a native speaker who uses emphasis strategically rather than randomly.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the C1 level, you master the rhetorical power of 'todella.' You can use it to create irony, sarcasm, or profound emphasis in literary or academic analysis. You understand how its placement can subtly shift the focus of a sentence. You also recognize when *not* to use it, opting for more specific or academic intensifiers (like 'huomattavasti' or 'merkittävästi') in formal writing, while reserving 'todella' for moments of genuine conviction. You are comfortable with the etymological connection to 'tosi' (truth) and can use 'todella' to discuss abstract concepts of reality and existence. It becomes a tool for professional-level persuasion and nuanced expression of personal values.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

At the C2 level, 'todella' is a fully integrated part of your linguistic repertoire, used with native-like intuition. You can navigate the finest stylistic nuances, such as using 'todella' in a high-register speech to create an emotional connection with the audience. You are aware of its historical development and its role in the evolution of modern standard Finnish. You can analyze its use in classical Finnish literature versus contemporary slang. Your usage is flawless, whether you are writing a legal brief, a philosophical essay, or engaging in a rapid-fire debate. You understand 'todella' not just as a word, but as a marker of the Finnish communicative style—measured, sincere, and impactful.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas

todella em 30 segundos

An essential intensifier meaning 'really' or 'very' used to strengthen adjectives, adverbs, and verbs.
Derived from the word 'tosi' (truth), it implies a sense of sincerity and factual accuracy.
Common in both spoken and written Finnish, though slightly more formal than the colloquial 'tosi'.
Does not change form (indeclinable) and typically precedes the word it is modifying in a sentence.

The Finnish word todella is one of the most versatile and frequently encountered adverbs in the Finnish language. At its core, it functions as an intensifier, much like the English words 'really,' 'truly,' or 'very.' However, its usage extends beyond mere emphasis; it serves as a bridge between expressing simple facts and conveying deep emotional conviction or subjective certainty. When a Finn says something is hyvä (good), it is a polite observation. When they say it is todella hyvä, they are signaling a level of genuine appreciation that goes beyond social nicety. This word is derived from the noun tosi (truth) and the suffix -lla, which historically relates to the adessive case, literally implying something existing 'on the truth' or 'with truth.'

Intensifier Role: In this context, 'todella' modifies adjectives or other adverbs to increase their magnitude. For example, 'todella kylmä' means 'really cold.' It is stronger than 'aika' (quite) but slightly more formal or emphatic than the colloquial 'tosi.'
Epistemic Certainty: When used to modify a whole sentence or a verb, it confirms the reality of a situation. 'Hän todella sanoi niin' translates to 'He really did say that,' emphasizing that the event actually took place despite potential doubt.
Exclamatory Use: As a standalone response, 'Todella!' or 'Todellakin!' functions as 'Indeed!' or 'Absolutely!', showing strong agreement with the previous speaker's statement.

Understanding 'todella' requires recognizing the Finnish penchant for understatement. Finns are not typically prone to hyperbole. Therefore, when 'todella' is used, it carries significant weight. In a professional setting, it might be used to confirm a commitment: 'Olemme todella sitoutuneita tähän projektiin' (We are truly committed to this project). In a personal setting, it expresses sincerity: 'Olen todella pahoillani' (I am really/truly sorry). It avoids the flippancy that sometimes accompanies the English 'really' when used as a filler word. For a learner, mastering 'todella' is a step toward sounding more natural and emotionally resonant in Finnish conversations.

Tämä on todella mielenkiintoinen kirja.

Oletko todella varma tästä?

The placement of todella in a sentence follows logical emphasis rules common in Finnish syntax. Most commonly, it precedes the word it modifies. If you are describing a quality, todella sits right before the adjective. For example, in 'Auto on todella nopea' (The car is really fast), the adverb directly intensifies the speed. This structure is very similar to English, making it intuitive for English speakers. However, Finnish flexibility allows for slight shifts to change the nuance. If todella is placed at the beginning of a sentence, it often acts as a sentence adverb, validating the entire proposition: 'Todella, hän ei tiennyt asiasta mitään' (Truly, he knew nothing about the matter).

Modifying Verbs: When modifying a verb, it usually follows the conjugated verb: 'Minä todella rakastan tätä kaupunkia' (I really love this city). It adds a layer of genuine emotion that 'Minä rakastan tätä kaupunkia' might lack in a neutral tone.
Negation: In negative sentences, 'todella' can be tricky. 'En todella tiedä' means 'I really don't know' (strong emphasis on ignorance). Note that 'ei todellakaan' is a specific fixed phrase for 'definitely not.'

Learners should also be aware of the comparative and superlative contexts. While you can say 'todella paljon' (really much/a lot), you wouldn't typically use 'todella' with a comparative like 'parempi' (better) to mean 'much better'; instead, you would use 'paljon parempi.' 'Todella' is reserved for absolute qualities or the base form of adjectives. It serves as a marker of authenticity. In the sentence 'Hän on todella lääkäri' (He really is a doctor), it confirms a professional status that might have been doubted. This 'fact-checking' function is a core part of its utility in complex sentences.

Meillä oli todella hauskaa eilen.

In the wild, you will hear todella in a variety of settings, ranging from the evening news to a coffee shop conversation. In Finnish media, news anchors use it to emphasize the gravity of a situation: 'Tilanne on todella vakava' (The situation is truly serious). It provides a level of standard Finnish (yleiskieli) that sounds professional and objective. Conversely, in everyday life, you might hear a more drawn-out pronunciation—tooo-della—when someone is expressing disbelief or deep sarcasm, though sarcasm is often more subtle in Finnish than in English.

Customer Service: Waiters or clerks might use it to reassure customers: 'Tämä on todella suosittu annos' (This is a really popular dish). It adds a layer of 'expert' recommendation.
Workplace Feedback: In a performance review, a manager might say, 'Olet tehnyt todella hyvää työtä' (You have done truly good work). Here, 'todella' serves to make the praise feel earned and factual.

Interestingly, 'todella' is also a frequent flyer in Finnish pop music and literature. It’s a rhythmic word that fits well into lyrics about longing or truth. In movies, you’ll hear it in moments of revelation: 'Se on todella hän!' (It really is him/her!). However, in very casual youth slang, you might hear 'tosi' or even English loanwords like 'fucking' (used as a generic intensifier), but 'todella' remains the bedrock for anyone wanting to sound articulate. If you visit Finland, listen for the 'Todellako?' (Really?) question in response to surprising news—it's the standard way to ask for confirmation.

'Oletko todella sitä mieltä?' kysyi opettaja.

The most common mistake for English speakers is overusing todella as a filler word. In English, we often say 'really' without thinking: 'It was like, really cool.' In Finnish, if you use todella too much, you sound like you are trying too hard to be emphatic, which can come across as insincere or exhausting to a Finnish listener. Another frequent error involves the confusion between todella and totta. While todella is an adverb (really), totta is an adjective or noun meaning 'true' or 'truth.' You cannot say 'Se on todella' to mean 'It is true'; you must say 'Se on totta.'

Misplacement with Negation: Don't confuse 'ei todella' (really not) with 'ei todellakaan' (not at all/definitely not). The latter is a much stronger and more common way to deny something emphatically.
Mixing with Comparative Forms: Beginners often try to say 'todella parempi' for 'really better.' The correct form is 'paljon parempi' (much better). 'Todella' is for the positive (base) degree only.

Furthermore, watch out for the distinction between todella and oikeasti. While they are often interchangeable, oikeasti specifically refers to 'in reality' or 'actually' (from oikea, meaning right/correct). Use todella when you want to emphasize the intensity of a feeling or quality, and oikeasti when you want to clarify a fact against a misconception. Mixing these up won't make you unintelligible, but it will mark you as a learner. Lastly, remember that todella does not decline. Some students try to add case endings to it based on the noun it modifies—resist this urge!

Väärin: Se on todella parempi. Oikein: Se on paljon parempi.

Finnish has a rich tapestry of intensifiers, and choosing the right one can significantly elevate your fluency. Todella is your 'middle-of-the-road' reliable intensifier. If you want to sound more casual, you reach for tosi. If you want to sound more formal or precise, you might use erittäin (extremely). Each word carries a slightly different 'temperature' and social weight.

Tosi vs. Todella: 'Tosi' is the younger, cooler sibling. It's used constantly in spoken language (tosi kiva, tosi paha). 'Todella' is slightly more weighted and 'correct' for writing.
Erittäin: Meaning 'extremely' or 'highly.' This is the word of choice for academic papers, official reports, and formal speeches. 'Erittäin tärkeää' sounds more professional than 'todella tärkeää.'
Oikeasti: Meaning 'actually' or 'really' (in truth). Use this when you are correcting a misunderstanding: 'Hän ei ole vihainen, hän on oikeasti vain väsynyt' (He's not angry, he's actually just tired).

Other alternatives include kovin (often used in negative sentences like 'ei kovin hyvä' - not very good), ihan (which can mean 'quite' or 'completely' depending on context), and varsin (quite/rather, somewhat formal). For extreme emphasis, Finns might use valtavan (hugely) or mielettömän (insanely). Choosing todella is never a mistake, but knowing these alternatives allows you to paint more detailed verbal pictures.

Vertailu:
1. Se on tosi hyvä (Spoken)
2. Se on todella hyvä (Standard)
3. Se on erittäin hyvä (Formal)

How Formal Is It?

Curiosidade

The word 'tosi' is so ancient that it has cognates in almost all Finno-Ugric languages, showing how central the concept of truth was to early speakers.

Guia de pronúncia

UK /ˈtodelːɑ/

US /ˈtoʊdɛlə/

Primary stress is always on the first syllable: TO-del-la.

Rima com

todella uudella vuodella suudella huudella kuudella muudella tuudella

Erros comuns

Pronouncing the double 'll' as a single 'l'. It must be held longer.
Misplacing the stress on the second syllable.
Pronouncing the 'o' like the 'u' in 'cup'. It should be a clear 'o'.
Making the final 'a' sound like 'ay'. It should be a flat 'ah'.
Mixing it up with 'todella' (the word doesn't have a 'v' sound like 'travel').

Nível de dificuldade

Leitura 1/5

Very easy to recognize in text.

Escrita 2/5

Easy to use, just remember the double 'l'.

Expressão oral 2/5

Requires correct stress on the first syllable.

Audição 1/5

Very common and easy to hear.

O que aprender depois

Pré-requisitos

tosi hyvä on kaunis iso

Aprenda a seguir

erittäin oikeasti ihan melko aika

Avançado

todellisuus todennäköisyys todentaminen todenperäisyys todellinen

Gramática essencial

Adverbial intensification

Todella modifies adjectives without changing form.

Word order in emphasis

Todella usually comes before the word it emphasizes.

Question suffix -ko

Todella + ko = Todellako? (Really?)

Emphatic suffix -kin

Todella + kin = Todellakin! (Indeed!)

Negation with emphasis

En todella tiedä vs En todellakaan tiedä.

Cadastre-se grátis para ler a explicação completa

Exemplos por nível

Tämä tee on todella kuumaa.

This tea is really hot.

Todella modifies the adjective kuumaa (partitive form).

Hän on todella kiva.

He/she is really nice.

Todella modifies the adjective kiva.

Tänään on todella kaunis päivä.

Today is a really beautiful day.

Todella modifies the adjective kaunis.

Tämä on todella iso talo.

This is a really big house.

Todella modifies the adjective iso.

Olen todella väsynyt.

I am really tired.

Todella modifies the adjective väsynyt.

Ruoka on todella hyvää.

The food is really good.

Todella modifies the adjective hyvää.

Se on todella halpa.

It is really cheap.

Todella modifies the adjective halpa.

Auto on todella nopea.

The car is really fast.

Todella modifies the adjective nopea.

Todellako? En tiennyt sitä.

Really? I didn't know that.

Todellako is the question form of todella.

Hän puhuu suomea todella hyvin.

He speaks Finnish really well.

Todella modifies the adverb hyvin.

Minä todella pidän tästä musiikista.

I really like this music.

Todella modifies the verb pidän.

Onko se todella totta?

Is it really true?

Todella reinforces the adjective totta.

Meillä oli todella hauska ilta.

We had a really fun evening.

Todella modifies the adjective hauska.

Tämä kirja on todella mielenkiintoinen.

This book is really interesting.

Todella modifies the adjective mielenkiintoinen.

Oletko todella varma asiasta?

Are you really sure about the matter?

Todella modifies the adjective varma.

Hän on todella kiireinen mies.

He is a really busy man.

Todella modifies the adjective kiireinen.

Olin todella helpottunut, kun löysin avaimet.

I was really relieved when I found the keys.

Todella modifies the past participle helpottunut.

Tämä on todella vaikea päätös tehdä.

This is a really difficult decision to make.

Todella modifies the adjective vaikea.

Hän todella ansaitsee tämän palkinnon.

He really deserves this award.

Todella emphasizes the verb ansaitsee.

Oletko todellakin sitä mieltä?

Are you truly of that opinion?

Todellakin adds more emphasis than just todella.

Se oli todella outo sattuma.

It was a really strange coincidence.

Todella modifies the adjective outo.

Hän on todella taitava maalaamaan.

She is really skilled at painting.

Todella modifies the adjective taitava.

Olen todella pahoillani myöhästymisestäni.

I am truly sorry for my lateness.

Todella emphasizes the apology.

Tämä elokuva oli todella vaikuttava.

This movie was really impressive/moving.

Todella modifies the adjective vaikuttava.

On todella tärkeää, että kuuntelemme toisiamme.

It is truly important that we listen to each other.

Todella emphasizes the importance of the following clause.

Hän on todella paneutunut tähän tehtävään.

He has really dedicated himself to this task.

Todella modifies the participle paneutunut.

Tilanne on todella huolestuttava.

The situation is truly worrying.

Todella modifies the adjective huolestuttava.

En todella ymmärrä, miksi hän teki niin.

I really don't understand why he did that.

Todella emphasizes the negation of understanding.

Se oli todella rohkea teko häneltä.

It was a truly brave act by him.

Todella modifies the adjective rohkea.

Tämä on todella hieno mahdollisuus meille kaikille.

This is a truly great opportunity for all of us.

Todella modifies the adjective hieno.

Oletko todella valmis kantamaan vastuun?

Are you really ready to bear the responsibility?

Todella modifies the adjective valmis.

Hän puhuu todella vakuuttavasti.

He speaks really convincingly.

Todella modifies the adverb vakuuttavasti.

Onko olemassaolo todella vain sattumaa?

Is existence truly just a coincidence?

Todella is used in a philosophical inquiry.

Hän on todella yksi aikamme suurimmista ajattelijoista.

He is truly one of the greatest thinkers of our time.

Todella adds superlative-like weight to the statement.

Tämä teos on todella mestarillinen suoritus.

This work is a truly masterful achievement.

Todella modifies the adjective mestarillinen.

En todella osannut odottaa tällaista käännettä.

I truly could not have expected such a turn of events.

Todella emphasizes the lack of anticipation.

Hänen argumenttinsa oli todella hienovaraisesti rakennettu.

His argument was truly subtly constructed.

Todella modifies the adverb hienovaraisesti.

Onko tämä todella se suunta, johon haluamme mennä?

Is this truly the direction we want to go?

Todella questions the collective intent.

Hän oli todella murtunut uutisesta.

He was truly broken by the news.

Todella emphasizes deep emotional pain.

Tämä on todella poikkeuksellinen tilanne historiassa.

This is a truly exceptional situation in history.

Todella modifies the adjective poikkeuksellinen.

Todella, voimme vain arvailla hänen motiivejaan.

Truly, we can only guess at his motives.

Todella acts as a sentence adverb expressing resignation or truth.

Tämä on todella eksistentiaalinen kriisi koko ihmiskunnalle.

This is a truly existential crisis for all of humanity.

Todella modifies a high-level philosophical adjective.

Hän on todella sisäistänyt nämä periaatteet.

He has truly internalized these principles.

Todella emphasizes the depth of internalization.

Onko mikään tässä maailmassa todella pysyvää?

Is anything in this world truly permanent?

Todella is used to question the nature of reality.

Hän kuvaili tapahtumia todella elävästi.

He described the events truly vividly.

Todella modifies the adverb elävästi.

Se oli todella järisyttävä kokemus.

It was a truly earth-shattering experience.

Todella modifies the powerful adjective järisyttävä.

Oletko todella valmis kohtaamaan totuuden?

Are you truly ready to face the truth?

Todella emphasizes the gravity of facing truth.

Tämä on todella paradigman muutos alallamme.

This is truly a paradigm shift in our field.

Todella emphasizes the scale of change.

Colocações comuns

todella hyvä

todella kaunis

todella pahoillani

todella mielenkiintoinen

todella vaikea

todella tärkeä

todella nopea

todella outo

todella kallis

todella väsynyt

Frases Comuns

Todellako?

— Used to express surprise or ask for confirmation. Equivalent to 'Really?'

Oletko muuttamassa? Todellako?

Todellakin!

— Used to show strong agreement. Equivalent to 'Indeed!' or 'Absolutely!'

Oliko se hauskaa? -Todellakin!

Ei todella.

— A strong way to say 'Not really' or to deny something.

Pidätkö hänestä? -En todella.

Todella hienoa!

— A common exclamation for 'Really great!'

Sait työpaikan? Todella hienoa!

Oletko todella?

— Are you really? Used to question someone's state or intent.

Oletko todella lähdössä jo?

En todella tiedä.

— I really don't know. Emphasizes complete ignorance.

Missä hän on? -En todella tiedä.

Todella moni

— Really many / A great many people.

Todella moni ihminen tuli paikalle.

Todella usein

— Really often / Very frequently.

Käyn täällä todella usein.

Todella vähän

— Really little / Very few.

Minulla on todella vähän aikaa.

Todella harvoin

— Really seldom / Very rarely.

Sataa todella harvoin täällä.

Frequentemente confundido com

todella vs totta

Totta is 'true' (adjective/noun), todella is 'really' (adverb).

todella vs todellinen

Todellinen is the adjective 'real/actual', todella is the adverb.

todella vs tosiaan

Tosiaan means 'indeed' or 'as a matter of fact,' often used to confirm shared knowledge.

Expressões idiomáticas

"Ei todellakaan"

— Definitely not. A very strong refusal or disagreement.

Lähdetkö mukaan? -En todellakaan!

neutral/strong

"Todella ja totta"

— Truly and for real. Used to emphasize the absolute truth of something.

Se on todella ja totta tapahtunut.

literary

"Todella syvältä"

— Really from the depths. Used to describe something that is terrible or 'sucks.'

Tämä sää on todella syvältä.

slang/informal

"Todella kova sana"

— A really big thing / A hit. Used for something very popular or effective.

Tämä uusi puhelin on todella kova sana.

informal

"Ottaa todella koville"

— To be really hard on someone / To take a toll.

Ero otti hänelle todella koville.

neutral

"Puhua todella suunsa puhtaaksi"

— To really speak one's mind / To clear the air.

Hän puhui todella suunsa puhtaaksi kokouksessa.

neutral

"Olla todella elementissään"

— To be really in one's element.

Hän on todella elementissään lavalla.

neutral

"Todella pahan päivän varalle"

— For a really rainy day (emergency).

Säästän rahaa todella pahan päivän varalle.

neutral

"Todella hampaissa"

— To be really 'in someone's teeth' (to be targeted or disliked by someone).

Olen todella pomon hampaissa.

informal

"Todella vähällä"

— With really little (effort/resources).

Hän selvisi kokeesta todella vähällä.

neutral

Fácil de confundir

todella vs tosi

They mean the same thing.

Tosi is informal/spoken; todella is standard/neutral.

Tosi kiva (spoken) vs. Todella kiva (standard).

todella vs oikeasti

Both translate to 'really'.

Oikeasti emphasizes 'in reality' vs. 'pretend'. Todella emphasizes degree.

Hän on oikeasti lääkäri (He is actually a doctor).

todella vs erittäin

Both translate to 'very/really'.

Erittäin is more formal and stronger (extremely).

Erittäin tärkeä (Extremely important).

todella vs ihan

Both can modify adjectives.

Ihan is often softer (quite) or means 'completely'.

Se on ihan hyvä (It's quite good).

todella vs melko

Both are degree modifiers.

Melko is weaker, meaning 'fairly' or 'quite'.

Melko hyvä (Fairly good).

Padrões de frases

Se on todella [adjective].

Se on todella hyvä.

Minä olen todella [adjective].

Minä olen todella väsynyt.

Todellako?

Oletko sairas? Todellako?

Minä todella [verb].

Minä todella rakastan sinua.

Se oli todella [adjective] [noun].

Se oli todella mielenkiintoinen matka.

On todella [adjective], että...

On todella tärkeää, että opiskelet.

Todella, [clause].

Todella, en tiedä mitä sanoa.

[Clause], todella.

Hän on nero, todella.

Família de palavras

Substantivos

tosi (truth)

totuus (truth)

todellisuus (reality)

Verbos

todeta (to state/note)

todistaa (to prove/witness)

Adjetivos

tosi (true)

todellinen (real/actual)

totinen (serious)

Relacionado

todiste

todennäköinen

todentuntuinen

todenmukainen

todenperäinen

Cadastre-se grátis para ver todos os exemplos

Como usar

frequency

Extremely high in all domains.

Erros comuns

todella parempi → paljon parempi
You cannot use 'todella' with comparative adjectives.
Se on todella. → Se on totta.
'Todella' is an adverb; 'totta' is the adjective/noun for 'true'.
Minä olen todela väsynyt. → Minä olen todella väsynyt.
Missing the double 'll'.
Olen todella pahoillani. → Olen todella pahoillani.
(This is correct, but learners often forget the 'pahoillani' part and just say 'olen todella')
Hän on todella lääkärissä. → Hän on todella lääkäri.
Don't confuse the state of being a doctor with being at the doctor's office.

Dicas

No Declension

Remember that todella never changes its form. It's always 'todella'.

Emphasis

Use it to show you are sincere. Finns appreciate genuine expression.

Standard Choice

In any written assignment, 'todella' is a safer choice than 'tosi'.

Surprise

Listen for 'Todellako?' in conversations to hear surprise.

Synonym check

Don't forget 'erittäin' for even stronger emphasis in formal tasks.

Avoid Filler

Try not to use it as often as English speakers use 'really'.

Finnish Sincerity

When a Finn uses 'todella', they usually mean it literally.

First Syllable

Always stress the 'TO' in todella.

Negation

Use 'ei todellakaan' for a strong 'definitely not'.

Todella vs Totta

Todella = Really, Totta = True. Don't mix them up!

Memorize

Mnemônico

Think of 'TO-DEL-LA' as 'TO DELiver LA (the truth)'. When you use it, you are delivering the real truth.

Associação visual

Imagine a giant stamp hitting a paper that says 'REAL' in big letters. That stamp is 'todella'.

Word Web

tosi totuus todellinen oikeasti erittäin varmasti totta todellisuus

Desafio

Try to use 'todella' in five different sentences today: one about food, one about weather, one about a friend, one about work, and one about a feeling.

Origem da palavra

Derived from the Proto-Finnic word *tosi, which means 'true.' The suffix -lla is the adessive case ending.

Significado original: Literally 'on the truth' or 'with truth.'

Uralic / Finnic.

Contexto cultural

No specific sensitivities, but avoid using it sarcastically until you are very fluent, as it can be misunderstood.

English speakers use 'really' much more frequently as a filler. In Finnish, try to use it only when you actually mean to emphasize something.

The phrase 'Todella?' is a common trope in Finnish comedy to show a character's slow reaction. Used in many Finnish song titles to emphasize emotional depth. Often found in Finnish translations of the Bible to translate 'Verily'.

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

Giving feedback

Todella hyvää työtä!
Todella hienoa!
Todella mielenkiintoista.
Todella kauniisti tehty.

Expressing feelings

Olen todella iloinen.
Olen todella pahoillani.
Olen todella väsynyt.
Olen todella yllättynyt.

Describing things

Se on todella iso.
Se on todella kallis.
Se on todella vanha.
Se on todella uusi.

Asking questions

Todellako?
Oletko todella varma?
Onko se todella totta?
Miksi todella teit niin?

Agreeing

Todellakin!
Niin se todella on.
Olet todella oikeassa.
Se on todella totta.

Iniciadores de conversa

"Oletko todella asunut Suomessa kauan?"

"Onko tämä ravintola todella niin hyvä kuin sanotaan?"

"Oletko todella sitä mieltä, että suomi on vaikeaa?"

"Oliko se elokuva todella katsomisen arvoinen?"

"Onko tänään todella jo perjantai?"

Temas para diário

Kirjoita asiasta, joka on sinulle todella tärkeä ja miksi.

Mikä on ollut todella vaikea hetki elämässäsi?

Kuvaile paikkaa, joka on todella kaunis.

Milloin olit viimeksi todella yllättynyt?

Mikä kirja tai elokuva on todella vaikuttanut sinuun?

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

No, you should use 'paljon' with comparisons. For example, 'paljon parempi' (much better), not 'todella parempi'.

In writing, yes. In speaking, 'tosi' is usually more common among friends, while 'todella' is used for more emphasis or in neutral situations.

No, it is an adverb and stays the same regardless of the noun it describes.

'Todellakin' is more emphatic, often used to mean 'indeed' or 'most certainly'.

No, you must say 'Se on totta.' 'Todella' needs an adjective or verb to modify, or it functions as an answer like 'Really?'

You hold the 'l' sound for about twice as long as a single 'l'. It's a distinct sound in Finnish.

Yes, it is perfectly polite and suitable for all social situations.

Use 'erittäin' in formal writing, like a thesis, a business report, or a formal speech.

Yes, in the sense of 'truly,' but 'oikeasti' is more specific for 'actually/in fact'.

It's not slang itself, but it can be used in slangy sentences for emphasis.

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