The past temporal construction (juotuani, kukistettuaan)

To describe what happened after a previous action was completed, Finnish uses a compact form known as the past temporal construction (menneen ajan temporaalirakenne).

Forming the Past Temporal

To build this structure:

  1. Start with the passive past participle of the verb (ending in -tu / -ty or -ttu / -tty, like juotu or kukistettu).
  2. Add the partitive ending -a or -ä.
  3. Attach the possessive suffix of the person performing the action.

Here is how it looks for juoda (to drink), which has the passive past participle juotu:

PersonSuffixTemporal FormMeaning
Minä-nijuotuaniafter I drank
Sinä-sijuotuasiafter you drank
Hän-an / -än or -nsa / -nsäjuotuaanafter he/she drank
Me-mmejuotuammeafter we drank
Te-nnejuotuanneafter you (all) drank
He-an / -än or -nsa / -nsäjuotuaanafter they drank

Objects in the Temporal Phrase

If the temporal phrase has a singular object, it usually takes the genitive-accusative case (ending in -n). Notice how lohikäärme (dragon) becomes lohikäärmeen:

After defeating the dragon, the hero found the portal.
Kukistettuaan lohikäärmeen sankari löysi portaalin.

Placement and Person

The temporal phrase can sit at the beginning or the end of the sentence without changing its meaning. Match the possessive suffix to the person who completed the action.

First Person:

I visited the healer after drinking the potion.
Kävin parantajan luona juotuani taikajuoman.
After equipping ourselves, we went into the dungeon.
Varustauduttuamme menimme luolastoon.

Second Person:

After completing the side quest, you get a lot of experience points.
Suoritettuasi sivutehtävän saat paljon kokemuspisteitä.
After finding the amulet, you all focused on the portal.
Löydettyänne amuletin keskityitte portaaliin.

Third Person:

After drinking the potion, the heroes are not tired.
Juotuaan taikajuoman sankarit eivät ole väsyneitä.
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