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Questions & Answers about Me odotamme täällä.
How do I change this sentence to say 'We are not waiting here'?
You use the negative verb for 'we', which is emme, and the weak stem of the main verb, which is odota. So the negative sentence becomes Me emme odota täällä.
Why does odotamme only have one 't' in the middle, but the basic dictionary verb odottaa has two?
This is because of a spelling rule called consonant gradation. When we add the ending -mme, it closes the syllable, causing the strong double tt to weaken into a single t. You will use this exact same weak stem (odota) when making the sentence negative.
Could I drop the word me and just say Odotamme täällä?
Yes! In Finnish, the verb ending -mme already means 'we'. Because of this, it is very common to leave out the pronoun me in everyday speech and writing.
What is the difference between täällä and tässä? Don't they both mean 'here'?
Tässä usually refers to a specific, narrow spot (like right here in this exact spot or point), while täällä refers to a broader area (like here in this building or city). Both are very common words for 'here'.