The Conditional and the Strong Grade
In the present tense, many verbs undergo consonant gradation, taking the weak grade when adding personal endings like -n (I) or -t (you).
In the conditional mood, however, the verb stem always uses the strong grade before the -isi- marker, regardless of the person acting.
If you know the third-person singular (hän) present tense of a verb, you already know its strong stem. Take that stem, adjust the final vowel if necessary, and add -isi-.
| Infinitive | Present (minä) | Conditional (minä) |
|---|---|---|
| kertoa | kerron | kertoisin |
| ymmärtää | ymmärrän | ymmärtäisin |
| antaa | annan | antaisin |
| rakentaa | rakennan | rakentaisin |
| I would forgive him. | Minä antaisin hänelle anteeksi. |
| I would understand that this is my mistake. | Minä ymmärtäisin, että tämä on minun virheeni. |
| I would tell the truth if I were guilty. | Minä kertoisin totuuden, jos olisin syyllinen. |
| How would I build trust? | Miten minä rakentaisin luottamusta? |
Other Verb Types
This rule applies consistently across verb types. For Type 3 verbs like riidellä and Type 4 verbs like loukata, the infinitive is weak, but the present and conditional stems both take the strong grade.
| We would not argue every day. | Me emme riitelisi joka päivä. |
| I would not offend you on purpose. | Minä en loukkaisi sinua tahallaan. |
| How would you solve this argument? | Miten sinä selvittäisit tämän riidan? |
| I would know that you are lying. | Minä tietäisin, että sinä valehtelet. |
| The boss would find the guilty person if he saw the bad behavior. | Pomo löytäisi syyllisen, jos hän näkisi huonon käytöksen. |
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