Finnish Grammar - Verb Forms - Participles - Past Active Participle

Past Active Participle

Basically this is formed by removing the infinitive ending and adding '-nut/nyt' (depending on vowel harmony) and in some cases '-lut/lyt' '-sut/syt' '-rut/ryt'. For example:

1st infinitive active past participle
'puhua' 'puhunut'
'syödä' 'syönyt'

However, depending on the verb's stem type, assimilation can occur with the consonant of the stem ending.

In type II verbs, and 'n' 'l' 'r' or 's' in the stem ending is assimilated to the consonant in the participle ending (as also happens in formation of the first infinitive, although -s stem endings take an extra t in the first infinitive)

1st Infinitve Stem Active past participle
'mennä' ('men-') 'mennyt'
'pestä ('pes-') 'pessyt'
'harjoitella' ('harjoittel-') 'harjoitellut'

The assimilation causes the final consonant cluster to be strengthened which in turn can weaken a strong cluster if one exists in the stem. See harjoitella above.

In verbs of types IV-VI, the 't' at the end of the stem is assimilated to the 'n':

1st Inifinitve To To
'haluta' ('halut-') 'halunnut'
'tarvita' ('tarvit-') 'tarvinnut'
'rohjeta' ('rohjet-') 'rohjennut'

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