Verb Type 1 with Consonant Gradation
Consonant gradation also affects verbs. For Verb Type 1 stems containing k, p, or t:
- First and second persons (minä, sinä, me, te) take the weak grade.
- Third persons (hän, se, he, ne) take the strong grade.
Take the verb nukkua (to sleep), which has the consonant pair kk (strong) and k (weak):
| Pronoun | Grade | Example |
|---|---|---|
| minä | Weak | nukun |
| sinä | Weak | nukut |
| hän / se | Strong | nukkuu |
| me | Weak | nukumme |
| te | Weak | nukutte |
| he / ne | Strong | nukkuvat |
Another common change is a single k disappearing entirely in the weak grade, as in lukea (to read). Hän lukee uses the strong grade, but minä luen uses the weak grade.
| The dog is sleeping, but I am reading. | Koira nukkuu, mutta minä luen. |
| Are you sleeping in the tent? | Nukutko sinä teltassa? |
More Consonant Pairs
The same strong and weak pattern applies to all k, p, and t changes. Here are some common pairs:
t → d and pp → p tietää (to know) becomes tiedän, and oppia (to learn) becomes opin.
| I know where they are. | Minä tiedän, missä he ovat. |
| You know, because you learn fast. | Te tiedätte, koska te opitte nopeasti. |
rt → rr, tt → t, and nt → nn Notice how ymmärtää (to understand), kirjoittaa (to write), and lentää (to fly) weaken in the first and second persons.
| The boy learns, and he understands well. | Poika oppii, ja hän ymmärtää hyvin. |
| Do you understand well? | Ymmärrätkö sinä hyvin? |
| The student is writing, and I am reading. | Opiskelija kirjoittaa, ja minä luen. |
| Do you fly often? | Lennätkö sinä usein? |
p → v A single p softens into a v in verbs like leipoa (to bake).
| The woman bakes, and we bake too. | Nainen leipoo, ja me leivomme myös. |
| Do you bake a lot? | Leivotko sinä paljon? |
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