Verbs: Infinitive Forms

01

The First Infinitive (-a / -ä)

The first infinitive is the dictionary form - the one you look up - ending in -a or -ä: puhua (to speak), mennä (to go), syödä (to eat). It follows verbs of wanting, being able, and having to, exactly as English uses "to…".

• Haluan oppia suomea.

  I want to learn Finnish.

• Voin tulla huomenna.

  I can come tomorrow.

• Täytyy mennä nyt.

  (I) have to go now.

• Osaatko uida?

  Can you swim?

02

The Second Infinitive (-essa / -en)

This form compresses a whole clause into one word: lukiessa means while reading, syödessä while eating. It belongs to written and formal Finnish more than to speech, so recognise it and move on — the third infinitive below is the one you will need.

03

The Third Infinitive (-ma / -mä)

The third infinitive is made by adding -ma or -mä to the verb stem - uida → uima-, ostaa → ostama- - and then a case ending on top. Because it takes the same place endings that nouns use, it expresses going somewhere to do something, being in the middle of doing it, and the means by which something is done.

• Menen uimaan.

  I'm going swimming. (heading off to do it; the "into" ending)

• Olen ostamassa ruokaa.

  I'm out buying food. (in the middle of it; the "in" ending)

• Tulen kaupasta ostamasta leipää.

  I'm coming from buying bread. (the "out of" ending)

• Opin suomea puhumalla.

  I learn Finnish by speaking. (means; the "on/at" ending)

04

The Verbal Noun (-minen)

Adding -minen to the stem turns a verb into a noun naming the activity itself - uida → uiminen (swimming), lukea → lukeminen (reading). It then declines through the cases like any other noun.

• Uiminen on hauskaa.

  Swimming is fun.

• Pidän lukemisesta.

  I like reading.

• Matkustaminen on kallista.

  Travelling is expensive.

05

The -tava / -tävä Form

The form ending in -tava or -tävä - tehdä → tehtävä ("to be done"), maksaa → maksettava ("to be paid") - appears in obligation structures, where something must or should be done.

• Tämä on tehtävä tänään.

  This must be done today.

• Lasku on maksettava.

  The bill has to be paid.