In English, we often use "let" to express a wish, a decree, or a command directed at a third party (e.g., "Let the games begin!"). In Finnish, this is done using a special third-person imperative form known as the jussiivi.
It is the perfect grammatical tool for tabletop roleplaying games, allowing you to grant dramatic boons or cast powerful curses!
Singular Commands (-koon / -köön)
To issue a command or wish for a singular third-person subject, use the suffix -koon or -köön.
To find the correct stem, modify the dictionary form (infinitive) based on the verb type:
- Type 1 (murtua): drop the final -a/-ä -> murtukoon (let it break)
- Type 3 (totella): drop -la/-lä -> totelkoon (let him/her obey)
- Type 4 (siunata): drop the final -a/-ä -> siunatkoon (let him/her bless)
Remember to follow vowel harmony when choosing between -koon and -köön.
| Let the wizard bless the realm. | Velho siunatkoon valtakuntaa. |
| Let the curse break! | Kirous murtukoon! |
| Let the monster disappear into the cave! | Hirviö kadotkoon luolaan! |
Plural Commands (-koot / -kööt)
If the command is directed at multiple people or things, replace the final -n with a -t. The plural suffixes are -koot and -kööt.
| Let the trolls and witches flee! | Peikot ja noidat paetkoot! |
Combining Decrees
You can easily string these dramatic commands together to make your spells and decrees even more epic. They also work seamlessly alongside relative clauses, using words like jonka (whose).
| Let the curse be destroyed and let the king live! | Kirous tuhoutukoon ja kuningas eläköön! |
| Let the dwarf obey the king, whose sword is heavy. | Kääpiö totelkoon kuningasta, jonka miekka on painava. |