Questions & Answers about Opiskelija kirjoittaa, ja minä luen.
Why is it luen instead of "luken"?
The dictionary form of "to read" is lukea. When you make the "I" form, you add -n. Adding this consonant closes the syllable, which triggers consonant gradation. The strong k disappears in the weak grade, making the stem lue-. Add the -n and you get luen.
Why does kirjoittaa keep its double tt if it's the same verb type?
The "he/she/it" form in Type 1 verbs is made by lengthening the final vowel, not by adding a consonant. Because the syllable stays open (ends in a vowel), it stays in the strong grade. Therefore, the double tt in the stem kirjoitta- does not weaken, giving us kirjoittaa.
Is there a specific Finnish word for the "is" in "is writing"?
No, Finnish doesn't have a separate continuous tense like English does. The single word kirjoittaa means both "writes" and "is writing", and luen means both "I read" and "I am reading".
Why is there a comma before ja (and) in this sentence?
In Finnish grammar, a comma is used before ja when it connects two complete sentences that have their own subjects and verbs. Since Opiskelija kirjoittaa and minä luen can both stand alone as full sentences, they are separated by a comma.