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### The Past Active Referative Construction

Just like the present active referative lets you compress an *että* (that) clause into a single phrase, the **past active referative** does the same for actions that have already happened. Instead of saying "I notice that the applicant *is passing* the exam," this structure allows you to say "I notice that the applicant *has passed* the exam."

To build this structure, make two changes to what would normally be your sub-clause:
1. Change the subject of the action into the **genitive** case (usually adding *-n*).
2. Change the verb into the past active participle and add the genitive *-n*. Form this by replacing the final *-ut* or *-yt* of the basic past participle with **-een** (so *-nut* becomes *-neen*, and *-syt* becomes *-seen*).

| Basic Verb | Past Participle | Referative Form |
|---|---|---|
| läpäistä | läpäissyt | läpäisseen |
| kirjoittaa | kirjoittanut | kirjoittaneen |
| suorittaa | suorittanut | suorittaneen |
| saapua | saapunut | saapuneen |

This creates a smooth, concise way to relay past events, often used with verbs of perceiving, reporting, and thinking.

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### Relaying Academic Information

Because the referative construction sounds slightly formal and efficient, it is very common in academic or official settings. You will frequently hear it used to report university results, approved essays, and campus updates.

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Past active referative (-neen)

adjective

adposition

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

postposition

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstrative pronouns (tämä, tuo, se)

Singular personal pronouns (minä, sinä, hän)

Plural personal pronouns (me, te, he)

Plural demonstratives (nämä, nuo, ne)

Coordinating conjunctions (ja, mutta, tai)

Yes/no questions (-ko / -kö)

Basic question words (kuka, mikä, missä)

Negation of to be (en ole, ei ole)

The inessive case (-ssa / -ssä)

Double consonant gradation (kk, pp, tt)

Consonant gradation (-ssa/-ssä)

Verb Type 1 (puhun, puhut, puhuu)

Verb Type 1 with consonant gradation

Negative verbs (en puhu, et lue)

External location (-lla/-llä)

There is / there are (kaupungissa on)

Possession (minulla on)

Numbers 1 to 10 (yksi, kaksi, kolme)

The partitive singular (-a/-ä, -ta/-tä)

Quantities with numbers (kaksi autoa)

Negative possession (ei ole)

Numbers 11 to 100 and 1000

Partitive verbs

Partitive personal pronouns (minua, sinua)

Verb Type 2 (-da/-dä)

Partitive for mass nouns (-a/-ä, -ta/-tä)

Partitive for negative objects

Adjective agreement

Verb Type 3

The elative case (-sta/-stä)

Negative possession (minulla ei ole…)

The illative case (-Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Numbers 21 to 99

Static vs. movement verbs

Verb Type 4 (-Vta / -Vtä)

Verb Type 5 (-ita / -itä)

Genitive singular for possession (-n)

Total object (-n)

Accusative personal pronouns (-t)

Obligation (täytyy)

Into places (-Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Postpositions with the genitive

My and your (-ni, -si)

Onto and to someone (-lle)

From someone or somewhere (-lta, -ltä)

Telling time (kello on...)

Months of the year (-ssa, -ssä)

Days of the week (-na, -nä)

When and why (milloin, miksi)

The illative case (mihin, -Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Past tense of to be (olin, olit, oli)

The seasons (kevät, kesä, syksy, talvi)

The imperative mood (lue!, syö!, mene!)

The past tense of to be (olin, oli)

The illative case (-hVn, -seen)

Greetings and goodbyes (hei, näkemiin)

Thank you and sorry (kiitos, anteeksi)

Liking things (pitää / tykätä + -sta/-stä)

Temporary states and roles (-na/-nä)

Change of state (-ksi)

Ongoing actions (-massa/-mässä)

Going to do an action (-maan/-mään)

Returning from an action (-masta/-mästä)

Third-person possessives (-nsa/-nsä or -Vn)

Plural possessives (-mme, -nne)

Indefinite pronouns (joku, jokin, kaikki)

Negative indefinite pronouns (ei kukaan, ei mikään)

Commands for verb types 4 and 5

Adverb formation (-sti)

Past tense for verb type 1 (-i-)

Past tense vowel changes for verb type 1 (-o- / -i-)

Past tense for verb type 2 (-i-)

Past tense for verb type 3 (-i-)

Past tense for verb type 4 (-si-)

Past tense for verb type 5 (-itsi-)

Past tense consonant gradation

Past participles for verb types 1 and 2 (-nut / -nyt)

Past participle singular for verb types 3-5 (-nnut, -llut)

Active past participle plural (-neet)

Past tense negative (en mennyt, emme olleet)

The perfect tense (olen ollut)

The perfect tense negative (en ole nähnyt)

Total plural objects (-t)

Partitive plural (-ia / -iä)

Partitive plural (-ja / -jä)

Question	Answer
applicant	hakija
entrance exam	pääsykoe
The professor noticed that the applicant had passed the entrance exam.	Professori huomasi hakijan läpäisseen pääsykokeen.
bachelor	kandidaatti
master's thesis	gradu
I heard that the bachelor had written the master's thesis.	Kuulin kandidaatin kirjoittaneen gradun.
master	maisteri
to complete	suorittaa
The teacher thinks that the master has completed the course.	Opettaja luulee maisterin suorittaneen kurssin.
faculty	tiedekunta
scholarship	stipendi
Didn't you know that the faculty had granted the scholarship?	Etkö tiennyt tiedekunnan myöntäneen stipendin?
campus	kampus
I noticed that the applicant had arrived at the campus.	Huomasin hakijan saapuneen kampukselle.
essay	essee
The bachelor wrote the essays and completed the exams.	Kandidaatti kirjoitti esseet ja suoritti tentit.
We know that the teacher has approved the essay.	Tiedämme opettajan hyväksyneen esseen.
Did someone say that the master had left the campus?	Sanoiko joku maisterin lähteneen kampukselta?
Everyone saw the bachelor on the campus.	Kaikki näkivät kandidaatin kampuksella.
Everyone noticed that the master had returned the master's thesis.	Kaikki huomasivat maisterin palauttaneen gradun.
The faculty believes that the applicant has completed the entrance exam.	Tiedekunta uskoo hakijan suorittaneen pääsykokeen.
Did you hear that the bachelor had received the scholarship?	Kuulitko kandidaatin saaneen stipendin?