We just started imperfekti in Finnish class, does anyone have any nice "cheatsheets" or material to help you with this tense (other than what our textbooks offer)?
Thanks!!
Imperfekti (past tense) - Anyone have any cheatsheets?
Imperfect
You can use the Verbix verb conjugator if you want to cheat:
http://www.verbix.com/languages/finnish.shtml
It finds the Imperfect of all Finnish verbs.
http://www.verbix.com/languages/finnish.shtml
It finds the Imperfect of all Finnish verbs.
The Imperfect
Sometimes it is very easy to change the Present tense into Imperfect. If there is an "e" in the Present tense of a verb you just change it to "i" and you´ve got the Imperfect.
olen - olin ( I am - I was )
olemme - olimme ( we are - we were )
teen - tein ( I do - I did )
teemme - teimme ( we do - we did )
juoksen - juoksin ( I run - I ran )
juoksemme - juoksimme ( we run - we ran )
olen - olin ( I am - I was )
olemme - olimme ( we are - we were )
teen - tein ( I do - I did )
teemme - teimme ( we do - we did )
juoksen - juoksin ( I run - I ran )
juoksemme - juoksimme ( we run - we ran )
-
Guest
I guess this is also in your book, but this is how it goes:
With verbtypes 1, 3 and 5: If the stem (vartalo) of the word ends on
o, ö, u or y: you ADD an i in the end and then the personal ending.
sanoa -> stem = sano -> imperfekti will be sanoi + personal ending.
puhua -> stem = puhu -> imperfekti will be puhui + personal ending.
kysya -> stem = kysy -> imperfekti will be kysyi + personal ending.
If the stem ends on
a, ä, e or i: you REPLACE that letter with an i and then add the personal ending.
soittaa -> stem = soita -> imperfekti will be soiti + personal ending (soitti in 3rd person)
päättää -> stem = päätä -> imperfekti will be pääti + personal ending (päätti in 3rd person)
lukea -> stem = lue -> imperfekti will be lui + personal ending (luki in 3rd person)
etsia -> stem = etsi -> imperfekti will be etsi + personal ending (so there's not going to be TWO i's here)
A couple of neck-breakers with verbtype 1:
1)
tietää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be tiesi + personal ending
ymmärtää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be ymmärsi + personal ending
lentää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be lensi + personal ending
tuntea -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be tunsi + personal ending
löytää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be löysi + personal ending
And there are a number more, but that's just a matter of learning them by heart. There's know way you can logically figure out if they should be conjugated like this or in the *normal* way.
2)
If the verbtype has two syllables and there's an *a* in both first and second syllable, in the imperfekti the second a will change to o and then the imperfekti-i is added.
antaa -> stem = anna -> imperfekti will be annoi + personal ending (antoi in 3rd person)
Other verbs like that: nauraa, ajaa, laulaa, maksaa, sataa, auttaa, alkaa
With verbtype 2: If the stem of the word ends in two vowels that are the same, the second vowel will be replaced with i.
saada -> stem = saa -> imperfekti will be sai + personal ending
Verbs like syödä and juoda work a bit different.
You take the stem, syö or juo, and then add the i in the end and take the y or u away.
syödä -> stem = syö -> imperfekti will be söi + personal ending.
juoda -> stem = juo -> imperfekti will be joi + personal ending.
Neck-breakers in verbtype 2:
vieda -> stem = vie -> imperfekti will be vei + personal ending
tehda -> stem = tee -> imperfekti will be tei + personal ending (teki in 3rd person)
nähdä -> stem = näe -> imperfekti will be näi + personal ending (näki in 3rd person)
käyda -> stem = käy -> imperfekti will be kävi + personal ending
In verbtype 4 you form the imperfekti not with *i* but with *si*
Replace the second vowel in the end of the stem with si.
tavata -> stem = tapaa -> imperfekti will be tapasi + personal ending.
herätä -> stem = herää -> imperfekti will be heräsi
With verbtypes 1, 3 and 5: If the stem (vartalo) of the word ends on
o, ö, u or y: you ADD an i in the end and then the personal ending.
sanoa -> stem = sano -> imperfekti will be sanoi + personal ending.
puhua -> stem = puhu -> imperfekti will be puhui + personal ending.
kysya -> stem = kysy -> imperfekti will be kysyi + personal ending.
If the stem ends on
a, ä, e or i: you REPLACE that letter with an i and then add the personal ending.
soittaa -> stem = soita -> imperfekti will be soiti + personal ending (soitti in 3rd person)
päättää -> stem = päätä -> imperfekti will be pääti + personal ending (päätti in 3rd person)
lukea -> stem = lue -> imperfekti will be lui + personal ending (luki in 3rd person)
etsia -> stem = etsi -> imperfekti will be etsi + personal ending (so there's not going to be TWO i's here)
A couple of neck-breakers with verbtype 1:
1)
tietää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be tiesi + personal ending
ymmärtää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be ymmärsi + personal ending
lentää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be lensi + personal ending
tuntea -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be tunsi + personal ending
löytää -> as in verbtype 4 -> imperfekti will be löysi + personal ending
And there are a number more, but that's just a matter of learning them by heart. There's know way you can logically figure out if they should be conjugated like this or in the *normal* way.
2)
If the verbtype has two syllables and there's an *a* in both first and second syllable, in the imperfekti the second a will change to o and then the imperfekti-i is added.
antaa -> stem = anna -> imperfekti will be annoi + personal ending (antoi in 3rd person)
Other verbs like that: nauraa, ajaa, laulaa, maksaa, sataa, auttaa, alkaa
With verbtype 2: If the stem of the word ends in two vowels that are the same, the second vowel will be replaced with i.
saada -> stem = saa -> imperfekti will be sai + personal ending
Verbs like syödä and juoda work a bit different.
You take the stem, syö or juo, and then add the i in the end and take the y or u away.
syödä -> stem = syö -> imperfekti will be söi + personal ending.
juoda -> stem = juo -> imperfekti will be joi + personal ending.
Neck-breakers in verbtype 2:
vieda -> stem = vie -> imperfekti will be vei + personal ending
tehda -> stem = tee -> imperfekti will be tei + personal ending (teki in 3rd person)
nähdä -> stem = näe -> imperfekti will be näi + personal ending (näki in 3rd person)
käyda -> stem = käy -> imperfekti will be kävi + personal ending
In verbtype 4 you form the imperfekti not with *i* but with *si*
Replace the second vowel in the end of the stem with si.
tavata -> stem = tapaa -> imperfekti will be tapasi + personal ending.
herätä -> stem = herää -> imperfekti will be heräsi