🇫🇮 Finnish phrases

How to Say "I don't understand" in Finnish

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
En ymmärrä
"I don't understand" in Finnish · say it like en yum-rah

The most natural way to say "I don't understand" in Finnish is En ymmärrä. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

En tajua
More casual and commonly used in spoken Finnish
En käsitä
A bit more formal, suitable for written contexts

When to use it

Use this phrase when someone is explaining something and you cannot follow. It can be used in both formal and informal situations. It's a polite way to express confusion or lack of understanding.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "I don't understand" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Finnish

FinnishEnglish
Anteeksi, en ymmärrä tätä asiaa.Excuse me, I do not understand this matter.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 'en ymmärrä' with 'en tiedä', which means 'I do not know'.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear En ymmärrä, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Finnish with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

How can I ask someone to explain something again?

You can say 'Voisitko selittää sen uudelleen?' which means 'Could you explain it again?'

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