Verb are lemmatized under the first infinitive form, the standard dictionary form for Finnish verbs.
First infinitives cause gemination at the end of the word (marked by /ˣ/ , usually but not necessarily manifesting as a glottal stop; see Wikipedia for more), but this does not necessarily apply to other forms; it does not, for instance, apply to third-person singular present indicative forms, even if the spelling is identical (as they are for some types of verbs).
Personal verb forms [ edit ]
Indicative [ edit ]
Singular [ edit ]
first
second
third
present
ajan
I drive
ajat
you (sg.) drive
ajaa
he/she/it drives
past
ajoin
I drove
ajoit
you (sg.) drove
ajoi
he/she/it drove
perfect
olen ajanut
I have driven
olet ajanut
you (sg.) have driven
on ajanut
he/she/it has driven
pluperfect
olin ajanut
I had driven
olit ajanut
you (sg.) had driven
oli ajanut
he/she/it had driven
first
second
third
present
en aja
I do not drive
et aja
you (sg.) do not drive
ei aja
he/she/it does not drive
past
en ajanut
I did not drive
et ajanut
you (sg.) did not drive
ei ajanut
he/she/it did not drive
perfect
en ole ajanut
I have not driven
et ole ajanut
you (sg.) have not driven
ei ole ajanut
he/she/it has not driven
pluperfect
en ollut ajanut
I had not driven
et ollut ajanut
you (sg.) had not driven
ei ollut ajanut
he/she/it had not driven
first
second
third
present
ajamme
we drive
ajatte
you (pl.) drive
ajavat
they drive
past
ajoimme
we drove
ajoitte
you (pl.) drove
ajoivat
they drove
perfect
olemme ajaneet
we have driven
olette ajaneet
you (pl.) have driven
ovat ajaneet
they have driven
pluperfect
olimme ajaneet
we had driven
olitte ajaneet
you (pl.) had driven
olivat ajaneet
they had driven
first
second
third
present
emme aja
we do not drive
ette aja
you (pl.) do not drive
eivät aja
they drive
past
emme ajaneet
we did not drive
ette ajaneet
you (pl.) did not drive
eivät ajaneet
they drove
perfect
emme ole ajaneet
we have not driven
ette ole ajaneet
you (pl.) have not driven
eivät ole ajaneet
they have not driven
pluperfect
emme olleet ajaneet
we had not driven
ette olleet ajaneet
you (pl.) had not driven
eivät olleet ajaneet
they had not driven
Impersonal [ edit ]
In colloquial language, the impersonal (or "passive") form has almost completely replaced the first-person plural form: me ajamme → me ajetaan .
impersonal
present
ajetaan
is (being) driven
past
ajettiin
was (being) driven
perfect
on ajettu
has been driven
pluperfect
oli ajettu
had been driven
impersonal
present
ei ajeta
is not (being) driven
past
ei ajettu
was not (being) driven
perfect
ei ole ajettu1
has not been driven
pluperfect
ei ollut ajettu2
had not been driven
1 The non-standard "double passive" ei olla ajettu (passive voice ei olla + passive past part. ajettu ) is common in colloquial speech.
2 The non-standard "double passive" ei oltu ajettu (passive voice ei oltu + passive past part. ajettu ) is common in colloquial speech.
Conditional [ edit ]
Corresponds to English would (and could ): ajaisin jos voisin: I would drive if I could .
Singular [ edit ]
first
second
third
present
ajaisin
I would drive
ajaisit1
you would drive
ajaisi
he/she/it would drive
perfect
olisin ajanut
I would have driven
olisit ajanut
you would have driven
olisi ajanut
he/she/it would have driven
1 Combined with the enclitic suffix -ko/-kö used in polite requests: Ajaisitko kovempaa?/Voisitko ajaa kovempaa? : Could you drive faster, please? or Haluaisin kupin kahvia. : I would like a cup of coffee.
first
second
third
present
en ajaisi
I would not drive
et ajaisi
you would not drive
ei ajaisi
he/she/it would not drive
perfect
en olisi ajanut
I would not have driven
et olisi ajanut
you would not have driven
ei olisi ajanut
he/she/it would not have driven
first
second
third
present
ajaisimme
we would drive
ajaisitte
you would drive
ajaisivat
they would drive
perfect
olisimme ajaneet
we would have driven
olisitte ajaneet
you would have driven
olisivat ajaneet
they would have driven
first
second
third
present
emme ajaisi
we would not drive
ette ajaisi
you would not drive
eivät ajaisi
they would not drive
perfect
emme olisi ajaneet
we would not have driven
ette olisi ajaneet
you would not have driven
eivät olisi ajaneet
they would not have driven
Impersonal [ edit ]
impersonal
present
ajettaisiin
would be driven
perfect
olisi ajettu
would have been driven
impersonal
present
ei ajettaisi
would not be driven
perfect
ei olisi ajettu
would not have been driven
Imperative [ edit ]
Used to express commands. In addition, the third-person imperative is colloquially used to express disregard for what one might do.
Note that imperative connegative forms ending in -ko , -kö should not be confused with the (interrogative) clitic -ko .
Singular [ edit ]
First-person singular forms do not exist.
second
third
present
aja
drive!
ajakoon
perfect
ole ajanut
have driven!
olkoon ajanut
second
third
present
älä aja
do not drive!
älköön ajako
perfect
älä ole ajanut
älköön olko ajanut
first
second
third
present
ajakaamme
ajakaa
ajakoot
perfect
olkaamme ajaneet
olkaa ajaneet
olkoot ajaneet
first
second
third
present
älkäämme ajako
älkää ajako
älkööt ajako
perfect
älkäämme olko ajaneet
älkää olko ajaneet
älkööt olko ajaneet
Impersonal [ edit ]
impersonal
present
ajettakoon
perfect
olkoon ajettu
impersonal
present
älköön ajettako
perfect
älköön olko ajettu
Potential [ edit ]
Corresponds to English may , probably , it is possible that etc. Rare in colloquial language, where adverbs like kai , luultavasti , ehkä etc. are used instead: lienee ajanut: on kai ajanut .
Singular [ edit ]
first
second
third
present
ajanen
I probably drive
ajanet
you probably drive
ajanee
he/she/it probably drives
perfect
lienen ajanut
I probably have driven
lienet ajanut
you probably have driven
lienee ajanut
he/she/it probably has driven
first
second
third
present
en ajane
et ajane
ei ajane
perfect
en liene ajanut
et liene ajanut
ei liene ajanut
first
second
third
present
ajanemme
ajanette
ajanevat
perfect
lienemme ajaneet
lienette ajaneet
lienevät ajaneet
first
second
third
present
emme ajane
ette ajane
eivät ajane
perfect
emme liene ajaneet
ette liene ajaneet
eivät liene ajaneet
Impersonal [ edit ]
impersonal
present
ajettaneen
perfect
lienee ajettu
impersonal
present
ei ajettane
perfect
ei liene ajettu
Optative [ edit ]
Similar to imperative. Poetic and archaic. Only a few personal forms are used; third-person forms coincide with those of the imperative mood.
Singular [ edit ]
second
third
present
ajaos
ajakoon
perfect
ollos ajanut
olkoon ajanut
second
third
present
ällös aja
älköön ajako
perfect
ällös ollo ajanut
älköön olko ajanut
third
present
ajakoot
perfect
olkoot ajanut
third
present
älkööt ajako
perfect
älkööt olko ajanut
Eventive [ edit ]
Combination of conditional and potential: ajan (I drive) → ajaneisin (I probably would drive). Rare and poetic; used in the Finnish national epic Kalevala .
Nominal verb forms [ edit ]
Infinitives [ edit ]
infinitive
voice
case
form
(approximate) translation
notes
I
–
ajaa
to drive
I (long)1
–
ajaakseni
For the purpose of me driving, in order for me to drive
–
ajaaksesi
for the purpose of you driving, in order for you to drive (singular)
–
ajaakseen
for the purpose of him/her driving, in order for him/her to drive
–
ajaaksensa
–
ajaaksemme
for the purpose of us driving, in order for us to drive
–
ajaaksenne
for the purpose of you driving, in order for you to drive (plural)
–
ajaakseen
for the purpose of them driving, in order for them to drive
–
ajaaksensa
II
active
inessive
ajaessa
when/while driving, as one is driving/as one drives
subject in the genitive case, (possible) object in the partitive case
instructive
ajaen
while/by driving
used as part of a larger verb phrase, so the subject is not directly mentioned. (possible) object in the partitive case
passive
inessive
ajettaessa
when one drives X; when sb/sth is being driven
(possible) object in the partitive case
III
active
inessive
ajamassa
olin ajamassa : I was driving
most often used with olla
elative
ajamasta
lakkasin ajamasta : I stopped driving
most often used with tulla ("to come from doing X") or with verbs of stopping or ceasing
illative
ajamaan
lähdin ajamaan : I began driving, I went to drive
most often used with mennä ( “ to go ” ) , lähteä ( “ to begin, go ” ) or with verbs of starting or beginning
adessive
ajamalla
by driving
object in accusative or partitive
abessive
ajamatta
without driving; olin ajamatta viikon : I did not drive for a week, tein sen ajamatta : I did it without driving
instructive
ajaman
sinun on ajaman : you must drive
dated
passive
instructive
ajettaman
tätä autoa on ajettaman : one has to drive this car
dated
IV
–
nominative
ajaminen2
sinun on ajaminen : you must drive
dated
–
partitive
ajamista3
sinne ei ole ajamista : one must not drive there
dated
V1
–
ajamaisillani
olin ajamaisillani : I was about to drive
literary
–
ajamaisillasi
...you were about to drive (singular)
literary
–
ajamaisillaan
...he/she was about to drive
literary
–
ajamaisillansa
–
ajamaisillamme
...we were about to drive
literary
–
ajamaisillanne
...you were about to drive (plural)
literary
–
ajamaisillaan
...they were about to drive
literary
–
ajamaisillansa
1 Always contains a personal/possessive suffix .
2 Do not confuse with verbal nouns constructed with the suffix -minen : ajaminen ( “ driving ” , a gerund ) , with which the nominative and partitive (singular) forms align.
3 Also used with a possessive suffix and with the same verb in a finite form to mean that something is being done continuously/for a long time:
Hän ajoi ajamistaan . ― He drove and drove .
Participles [ edit ]
All participles can be inflected and used like adjectives. Many participles are in fact used as independent adjectives: syötävä: edible , kuollut: dead etc.
Active present participle [ edit ]
Corresponds to English -ing before a noun: kovaa ajava auto: fast driving car . The construct on + active present participle corresponds to English "shall" in poetic sense: hän on huomenna ajava autoa : he shall drive the car tomorrow .
case
singular
plural
nominative
ajava
ajavat
genitive
ajavan
ajavien
ajavain
partitive
ajavaa
ajavia
accusative
ajava
ajavat
ajavan
inessive
ajavassa
ajavissa
elative
ajavasta
ajavista
illative
ajavaan
ajaviin
adessive
ajavalla
ajavilla
ablative
ajavalta
ajavilta
allative
ajavalle
ajaville
essive
ajavana
ajavina
translative
ajavaksi
ajaviksi
instructive
–
ajavin
abessive
ajavatta
ajavitta
comitative
–
ajavine
Passive present participle [ edit ]
Corresponds to English -able /-ible before noun: ajettava auto: drivable car . Also used in on + passive present participle to denote obligation: minun on ajettava autoa: I must drive the car .
case
singular
plural
nominative
ajettava
ajettavat
genitive
ajettavan
ajettavien
ajettavain
partitive
ajettavaa
ajettavia
accusative
ajettava
ajettavat
ajettavan
inessive
ajettavassa
ajettavissa
elative
ajettavasta
ajettavista
illative
ajettavaan
ajettaviin
adessive
ajettavalla
ajettavilla
ablative
ajettavalta
ajettavilta
allative
ajettavalle
ajettaville
essive
ajettavana
ajettavina
translative
ajettavaksi
ajettaviksi
instructive
–
ajettavin
abessive
ajettavatta
ajettavitta
comitative
–
ajettavine
Active past participle [ edit ]
Used to build active compound tenses, corresponds to English past participle: olen ajanut: I have driven ; ohitsemme ajanut auto kääntyi vasemmalle: the car that passed us turned left .
case
singular
plural
nominative
ajanut
ajaneet
genitive
ajaneen
ajaneiden
ajaneitten
partitive
ajanutta
ajaneita
accusative
ajanut
ajaneet
ajaneen
inessive
ajaneessa
ajaneissa
elative
ajaneesta
ajaneista
illative
ajaneeseen
ajaneisiin
ajaneihin
adessive
ajaneella
ajaneilla
ablative
ajaneelta
ajaneilta
allative
ajaneelle
ajaneille
essive
ajaneena
ajaneina
translative
ajaneeksi
ajaneiksi
instructive
–
ajanein
abessive
ajaneetta
ajaneitta
comitative
–
ajaneine
Passive past participle [ edit ]
Used to build passive compound tenses. When used as an adjective, corresponds to adjective-like English past participles.
tätä autoa on ajettu: this car has been driven
case
singular
plural
nominative
ajettu
ajetut
genitive
ajetun
ajettujen
partitive
ajettua
ajettuja
accusative
ajettu
ajetut
ajetun
inessive
ajetussa
ajetuissa
elative
ajetusta
ajetuista
illative
ajettun
ajettuihin
adessive
ajetulla
ajetuilla
ablative
ajetulta
ajetuilta
allative
ajetulle
ajetuille
essive
ajettuna
ajettuina
translative
ajetuksi
ajetuiksi
instructive
–
ajetuin
abessive
ajetutta
ajetuitta
comitative
–
ajettuine
Agent participle [ edit ]
Used to denote the object of action; usually with a possessive suffix: minun ajamani auto: the car I drove/have driven . Not used with all verbs.
case
singular
plural
nominative
ajama
ajamat
genitive
ajaman
ajamien
ajamain
partitive
ajamaa
ajamia
accusative
ajama
ajamat
ajaman
inessive
ajamassa
ajamissa
elative
ajamasta
ajamista
illative
ajamaan
ajamiin
adessive
ajamalla
ajamilla
ablative
ajamalta
ajamilta
allative
ajamalle
ajamille
essive
ajamana
ajamina
translative
ajamaksi
ajamiksi
instructive
–
ajamin
abessive
ajamatta
ajamitta
comitative
–
ajamine
Negative participle [ edit ]
Negation of the other participles, corresponds to English un-/not + past participle.
case
singular
plural
nominative
ajamaton
ajamattomat
genitive
ajamattoman
ajamattomien
ajamatonten
partitive
ajamatonta
ajamattomia
accusative
ajamaton
ajamattomat
ajamattoman
inessive
ajamattomassa
ajamattomissa
elative
ajamattomasta
ajamattomista
illative
ajamattomaan
ajamattomiin
adessive
ajamattomalla
ajamattomilla
ablative
ajamattomalta
ajamattomilta
allative
ajamattomalle
ajamattomille
essive
ajamattomana
ajamattomina
translative
ajamattomaksi
ajamattomiksi
instructive
–
ajamattomin
abessive
ajamattomatta
ajamattomitta
comitative
–
ajamattomine
Negative verbs [ edit ]
The verb ei is used to express negation. It inflects in person, number and mood (indicative or imperative); all forms are listed here . The indicative forms begin with e and express denial (you are not ), while the imperative forms begin with ä and express prohibition (don't be! ). ei does not have infinitive forms. It is also used to change the meaning of some pronouns, such as kukaan and mikään and adverbs, such as koskaan , ikinä , välttämättä .