Language/Finnish/Grammar/Finnish-Verb-Tenses

Finnish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Finnish Verb Tenses

Welcome to our lesson on Finnish verb tenses! Understanding verb tenses is crucial for expressing time-related actions in any language, and Finnish is no exception. In this lesson, we will delve into the conditional and imperative verb tenses, which will equip you with the skills to express wishes, possibilities, commands, and requests.

Throughout this lesson, we’ll explore how these tenses function in Finnish, and I'll provide numerous examples to help solidify your understanding. Don’t worry if it feels a bit overwhelming at first; practice makes perfect! Let’s embark on this exciting journey toward mastering Finnish verb tenses together.

The Conditional Tense

The conditional tense in Finnish is used to express actions that are dependent on a condition. It often translates to "would" or "could" in English. This tense is particularly useful when discussing hypothetical scenarios, wishes, or polite requests.

Formation of the Conditional Tense

To form the conditional tense, you typically take the present stem of the verb and add specific suffixes. The endings for the conditional tense are as follows:

• For singular: -isi

• For plural: -isivat

Here’s the formula:

• Present Stem + -isi (singular) / -isivat (plural)

Let's take a look at some examples:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
minä menisin	mina menisin	I would go
sinä söisit	sina soisit	you would eat
hän lukisi	han lukisi	he/she would read
me matkustaisimme	me matkustaisimme	we would travel
te auttaisitte	te auttaisitte	you (plural) would help
he näkisi	he nakisi	they would see

As you can see, the conditional tense allows you to express a range of ideas, from polite requests to hypothetical situations.

Usage of the Conditional Tense

The conditional tense can be used in several contexts:

• Hypothetical situations:

• "If I had a car, I would drive to work."

• "Jos minulla olisi auto, menisin töihin."

• Wishes:

• "I would like to travel to Finland."

• "Haluaisin matkustaa Suomeen."

• Polite requests:

• "Could you help me?"

• "Voisitko auttaa minua?"

Now let’s look at some more examples in context:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Jos sataa, jäämme kotiin.	Yos sataa, yaemme kotiin.	If it rains, we would stay home.
Haluaisin kahvia.	Haluisin kahvia.	I would like coffee.
Voisitko kertoa tarinan?	Voisitko kertoa tarinan?	Could you tell a story?
Hän sanoi, että menisi mukaan.	Hän sanoi, että menisi mukaan.	He said that he would join.
Jos olisin rikas, ostaisin talon.	Jos olisin rikas, ostaisin talon.	If I were rich, I would buy a house.

The Imperative Tense

The imperative tense is used to give commands, make requests, or offer invitations. It is an essential part of everyday communication, especially when you want to instruct someone to do something.

Formation of the Imperative Tense

The imperative tense is straightforward to form in Finnish. Generally, you use the present stem of the verb without any endings for the second person singular and add the appropriate endings for the plural forms. Here are the basic forms:

• Singular: Present stem (no ending)

• Plural: Present stem + -kaa (for you plural) / -kaa (for more formal requests)

For example:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
tule	tule	come (singular)
tulkaa	tulkaa	come (plural)
mene	mene	go (singular)
menkää	menkää	go (plural)
syö	syö	eat (singular)
syökää	syökää	eat (plural)

The imperative can be direct and forceful, or it can be soft and polite, depending on the context.

Usage of the Imperative Tense

The imperative tense is used in various situations, such as:

• Giving commands:

• "Sit down!"

• "Istu alas!"

• Making requests:

• "Please help me."

• "Auta minua, ole hyvä."

• Inviting someone:

• "Come to my party!"

• "Tule juhliini!"

Here are additional examples illustrating the imperative tense in context:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Lue tämä kirja!	Lue tama kirja!	Read this book!
Puhukaa hiljaa!	Puhukaa hiljaa!	Speak quietly (plural)!
Älä pelkää!	Älä pelkää!	Don't be afraid!
Ottakaa tämä!	Ottakaa tama!	Take this (plural)!
Vie roskat ulos!	Vie roskat ulos!	Take the trash out!

Summary of Conditional and Imperative Tenses

To wrap up our exploration of the conditional and imperative tenses, remember that:

• The conditional tense allows you to express hypothetical situations, wishes, and polite requests.

• The imperative tense is your go-to for giving commands, making requests, and inviting others to join in.

Both tenses are essential in day-to-day conversations and will enrich your Finnish language skills immensely.

Practice Exercises

Now that we’ve covered the theory, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! Below are some exercises designed to reinforce your understanding of the conditional and imperative tenses.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the conditional tense.

1. Jos minä _____ (olla) rikas, ostaisin auton.

2. Sinä _____ (tietää) sen, jos kysyisit.

3. Hän _____ (haluta) tulla kanssani.

4. Me _____ (matkustaa) Suomeen, jos voisimme.

5. Te _____ (nähdä) sen, jos olisitte täällä.

6. He _____ (auttaa) meitä, jos pyytäisimme.

Exercise 2: Create Sentences

Using the verbs provided, create sentences in the conditional tense.

1. pelata (to play)

2. syödä (to eat)

3. mennä (to go)

4. juoda (to drink)

5. lukea (to read)

Exercise 3: Change to Imperative

Transform the following sentences from the indicative to the imperative form.

1. Sinä luet kirjaa. (You read a book.)

2. Te kävelette puistossa. (You walk in the park.)

3. Hän syö omenan. (He/She eats an apple.)

4. Me tanssimme yhdessä. (We dance together.)

5. He pelaavat jalkapalloa. (They play soccer.)

Exercise 4: Translation Challenge

Translate the following sentences into Finnish, using the correct tense.

1. If I had time, I would help you.

2. Please sit down!

3. They would go to the movies if they had money.

4. Don't eat that!

5. If you knew the answer, you would tell me.

Exercise 5: Identify the Tense

Identify whether the following sentences are in the conditional or imperative tense.

1. "Lähtekää nyt!"

2. "Jos he olisivat täällä, he näkisi."

3. "Älä tee sitä!"

4. "Minä haluaisin kahvia."

5. "Kävelkää hitaasti."

Solutions and Explanations

Here are the answers and explanations for the exercises:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. olisi

2. tietäisit

3. haluaisi

4. matkustaisimme

5. näkisit

6. auttaisivat

Explanation: The verbs are conjugated in the conditional tense to express hypothetical situations.

Exercise 2: Create Sentences

1. Jos voisin, pelaisin jalkapalloa. (If I could, I would play soccer.)

2. Haluan syödä jäätelöä. (I would like to eat ice cream.)

3. Menisin mieluummin ulos. (I would rather go out.)

4. Juon kahvia, jos olisin hereillä. (I would drink coffee if I were awake.)

5. Lukisin enemmän, jos olisi aikaa. (I would read more if I had time.)

Explanation: Each sentence is a valid construction using the conditional tense.

Exercise 3: Change to Imperative

1. Lue kirja! (Read the book!)

2. Kävelkää puistossa! (Walk in the park!)

3. Syö omena! (Eat the apple!)

4. Tanssikaa yhdessä! (Dance together!)

5. Pelatkaa jalkapalloa! (Play soccer!)

Explanation: The sentences are transformed into commands in the imperative tense.

Exercise 4: Translation Challenge

1. Jos minulla olisi aikaa, auttaisin sinua.

2. Istu alas, ole hyvä!

3. He menisivät elokuviin, jos heillä olisi rahaa.

4. Älä syö tuota!

5. Jos tietäisit vastauksen, kertoisit sen minulle.

Explanation: Each sentence is translated correctly, using the appropriate tenses.

Exercise 5: Identify the Tense

1. Imperative

2. Conditional

3. Imperative

4. Conditional

5. Imperative

Explanation: The sentences are identified according to their respective tenses.

Congratulations! You’ve completed the exercises and taken significant steps toward mastering Finnish verb tenses. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find yourself naturally using these tenses in conversation.

Table of Contents - Finnish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Finnish

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Adjectives

• Noun Cases
• Adjective Agreement

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Daily Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Leisure

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Forming Questions
• Negation

  ---

Food and Dining

• Food Vocabulary
• Dining Out

  ---

Prepositions and Postpositions

• Prepositions
• Postpositions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Finnish Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Finnish Sauna

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Conjunctions and Subordinate Clauses

• Conjunctions
• Subordinate Clauses

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Finnish Literature and Music

• Finnish Literature
• Finnish Music

Sources

• Finnish verb conjugation - Wikipedia
• Finnish Grammar Beginner's Guide (even if you hate grammar)
• Finnish Tenses: Expressing the Past, Present, and Future
• Finnish grammar - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• Finnish Participles
• How to Use Be
• Possessive Case in Finnish
• Asking Directions in Finnish
• Finnish Verbs: Present Tense
• Prepositions
• Negation
• Questions
• Nouns
• Finnish Sentence Structure