Imperfect, the simple past tense
The simple past tense (often called imperfect) is formed with the suffix i. It's placed between the stem and the personal ending.
kysyin | I asked | kysyimme | we asked |
kysyit | you asked | kysyitte | you asked |
kysyi | he asked | kysyivät | they asked |
Some changes in the stem
There are some changes in the stem, when you add the i ending.
Long vowel or diphtong (verb type 2)
If there are 2 vowels (same or different, see the verb type 2), the other vowel drops, because there cannot be 3 vowels on a row. With a diphtong (2 different vowels) it's the first vowel that disappears.
Infinitive | Present | Past tense | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
saada | saan | sain | I got |
juoda | juon | join | I drank |
viedä | vien | vein | I took (away) |
Last a, ä, e or i disappears:
Infinitive | Present | Past tense | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
rakastaa | rakastan | rakastin | I loved |
matkustaa | matkustan | matkustin | I travelled |
pitää | pidän | pidin | I liked |
opiskella | opiskelen | opiskelin | I studied |
etsiä | etsin | etsin | I searched |
uida | uin | uin | I swam |
With some verbs last a becomes o:
Infinitive | Present | Past tense | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
antaa | annan | annoin | I gave |
kantaa | kannan | kannoin | I carried |
Si-imperfect
The suffix is si with some verbs. This includes verb type 4 and some of the verbs in type 1.
With the verb type 4 the suffix is always si.
Infinitive | Present | Past tense | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
haluta | haluan | halusin | I wanted |
siivota | siivoan | siivosin | I cleaned |
tavata | tapaan | tapasin | I met |
pelata | pelaan | pelasin | I played |
There are also some verbs in type 1, which have the suffix si. You should learn them by heart.
Infinitive | Present | Past tense | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
tietää | tiedän | tiesin | I knew |
pyytää | pyydän | pyysin | I asked |
löytää | löydän | löysin | I found |
huutaa | huudan | huusin | I yelled |
lentää | lennän | lensin | I flew |
ymmärtää | ymmärrän | ymmärsin | I understood |
piirtää | piirrän | piirsin | I drew |
See also the article about the negative imperfect.
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