Non-derivable and Irregular Stems
Standard Finnish has comparatively very few irregular verbs in addition to 'olla' discussed above. However, because the infinitive is an inflected form of the root, the consonant gradation may obscure the root. The root of the word 'juosta' = 'to run' is juoks-; when generating the infinitive, the pattern ks → s is applied: juoks+ta → juosta. Epenthetic 'e' is added for personal forms, e.g. juoksen.
There is a rare pattern where a stem with -k- is rendered as -hdä in the infinitive, but disappears in gradation, e.g.:
- 'tehdä' = 'to do, make': tee-; teen, teet, tekee, teemme, teette, tekevät, etc.
- 'nähdä' = 'to see': näe-; näen, näet, näkee, näemme, näette, näkevät, etc.
That is, teke- and näke- forms are rendered as tehdä and nähdä in the infinitive but are subject to gradation of 'k' in personal forms like teen. In some colloquial forms, the 'e' is rendered as a chroneme instead: nään instead of näen etc.
Spoken language adds some more irregular verbs by assimilative deletion, e.g.:
- tulla - tule - tuu
- mennä - mene - mee
- panna - pane - paa
- olla - ole - oo
Read more about this topic: Finnish Verb Conjugation
Famous quotes containing the words irregular and/or stems:
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“A passion for politics stems usually from an insatiable need, either for power, or for friendship and adulation, or a combination of both.”
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