Verb type 4

Type 4 verbs have always two vowels before the personal ending in the present tense and si in the past. You can also create them yourself, which is nice.  Most of these verbs end with ata, but also other endings with a vowel + ta or tä are possible. Drop the t and add the personal ending to make the present conjugation.

• Minä haluan - I want
• Sinä haluat - You want
• Hän / Se haluaa - S/he wants
• Me haluamme / halutaan - We want
• Te haluatte - You want
• He haluavat / Ne haluaa - They want

to play: pelata, pelaan, pelasin, pelannut

• Oletko pelannut mölkkyä? - Have you played mölkky?

to hug: halata, halaan, halasin, halannut

• Halataan!  - Let's hug!

to want: haluta, haluan, halusin, halunnut

• Mitä te haluatte syödä tänään? - What do you want to eat today?

to clean: siivota, siivoan, siivosin, siivonnut

• Miksei kukaan ole siivonnut täällä? - Why hasn't anybody cleaned up here?

to wake up: herätä, herään, heräsin, herännyt

• Mihin aikaan sinä heräsit tänään? - At what time did you wake up today?

Consonant change

Just like in verb type 3, if there is a consonant change,  the basic form has a weak grade and all the persons have a strong grade. Here the example is tykätä, to like.

Minä tykkään - I like

Sinä tykkäät   - You like

Hän / Se tykkää - S/he likes

Me tykkäämme / tykätään - We like

Te tykkäätte - You like

He  tykkäävät / Ne tykkää -  They like

to climb: kiivetä, kiipeän, kiipesin, kiivennyt

• Älä kiipeä sille tuolille! - Don't climb on that chair!

to be afraid: pelätä, pelkään, pelkäsin, pelännyt

• Miksi sinä pelkäät minua? - Why are you afraid of me?

Notice that sometimes the consonant change can cause a huge difference!

Loan words

If you have no idea what a certain verb is in Finnish, you can take a foreign verb, add ata and maybe you have the correct word, or at least something that most Finns would understand. This is also very common way to make new verbs in colloquial Finnish.

to pack: pakata, pakkaan, pakkasin, pakannut

• Miksi sinä et ole vielä pakannut? - Why haven't you packed yet?

to print: printata, printtaan, printtasin, printannut (also tulostaa)

• Voinko printata äkkiä yhden jutun? - Can I quickly print something?

to (crazy) party: bailata, bailaan, bailasin, bailannut (yes, from the Spanish bailar.) 

• Me bailattiin koko yö! - We partied the whole night!

p.s. More verb type 4 verbs in my Memrise course.

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About the author of this blog:

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. You can contact me through www.privatefinnishlessons.com. You can subscribe to this blog from the right-hand banner. 

My books in easy Finnish: www.hannamannikkolahti.com

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