Negative Commands with "Älä"
To tell someone not to do something, start with the negative imperative word älä (do not).
Follow älä with the verb's connegative stem. This is the exact same stem used for the standard present negative (the form that follows en, et, or ei). For example, with the verb meluta (to make noise), the stem is melua (as in en melua).
| This is a reading room. Do not make noise here. | Tämä on lukusali. Älä melua täällä. |
| Do not shout when you speak to me. | Älä huuda, kun puhut minulle. |
Library Etiquette
Negative commands are essential for setting rules in a quiet place like a reading room. Notice how the connegative stems often undergo consonant gradation (like tt changing to t, or p changing to v):
| Verb | Present negative | Negative command |
|---|---|---|
| repiä | en revi | älä revi |
| taittaa | en taita | älä taita |
| sotkea | en sotke | älä sotke |
| Do not tear the old book. | Älä revi vanhaa kirjaa. |
| Do not fold the page of the new book. | Älä taita uuden kirjan sivua. |
| Do not eat in the library. Do not make the table dirty. | Älä syö kirjastossa. Älä sotke pöytää. |
Giving Explanations and Contrasting Commands
Pair a negative command with a positive one (like anna or näytä) or an explanation to give complete instructions.
| I want to concentrate. Do not whisper now. | Haluan keskittyä. Älä kuiskaa nyt. |
| Do not forget your library card at home. | Älä unohda kirjastokorttiasi kotiin. |
| Give me a charger, but do not leave it in the reading room. | Anna minulle laturi, mutta älä jätä sitä lukusaliin. |
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