voida

From Proto-Finnic *voidak, from Proto-Uralic *woje-.

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋoi̯dɑˣ/, [ˈʋo̞i̯dɑ̝(ʔ)]
• Rhymes: -oidɑ
• Syllabification^(key): voi‧da
• Hyphenation^(key): voi‧da

voida (intransitive)

1. can, to be able to, to be capable [with first infinitive]

   Synonyms: kyetä, pystyä, (in the past tense) saattaa

   tehdä voitavansa ― to do what one can, to do one's best

   En voinut olla nauramatta.

   I couldn't help laughing.

2. can, may, might, to be possible [with first infinitive]

   Synonym: saattaa

   Teline voi kaatua.

   The stand/rack may fall over.

3. (in the conditional mood) could [with first infinitive]

   Voisitko auttaa minua?

   Could you please help me?

   Voisin juosta, jos haluaisin.

   I could run if I wanted.

4. (see usage notes) may, to be allowed (to), to be permitted (to) [with first infinitive]

   Synonym: saada

   Voinko avata ikkunan?

   May I open the window?

5. can, to be acceptable, appropriate or justified (to); (with negative) should, must (not) [with first infinitive]

   Synonym: sopia

   Voiko tälläistä kysyä?

   Can I ask something like this?

   Sen vaikutusta ei voi vähätellä.

   Its effect should not be underestimated.

   Hänen rooliaan perheen hyvinvoinnin edistämisessä ei voi myöskään aliarvioida.

   Neither should her role in improving the family's wellbeing be belittled.

6. to be, feel, do, fare (to enquire or talk about wellbeing)

   Kuinka voitte?

   How are you? / How are you doing?

   En voi kovin hyvin.

   I'm not feeling too well.

7. can do [with allative ‘about’] (be able to influence)

   Minkä minä sille voin?

   What can I do about it? [What am I supposed to do about it?]

• Being completely identical to the present forms, the past forms in positive sentences are very often replaced with the respective forms of a synonym, such as kyetä, pystyä or saada (depending on the intended meaning):

  Voin nauraa. (present positive)

  I can laugh.

  En voinut nauraa. (past negative)

  I could not laugh.

  Voin nauraa. → Kykenin nauramaan. (past positive)

  I could laugh.

• Some may perceive the usage of voida for "may" as incorrect (similarly to can being used for permission) and instead advise to use saada.

• “voida”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 4 July 2023

• vodia

voida f sg (Old Dauphinois)

1. alternative form of vouedo (“empty”)

• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002), “*vŏcĭtus”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volume 14: U–Z, page 589

From Proto-Finnic *voidak.

voida

1. to can, to be able to

• M. Pahomov (2022), Lüüdi-venän, venä-lüüdin sanakirdʹ‎^[2], Helsinki: Lüüdilaine Siebr, →ISBN

From Proto-Finnic *voidak.

voida

1. can, to be able

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “мочь, смочь”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[3], Petrozavodsk: Periodika