Questions & Answers about Äidin täytyy ottaa lääke.
Why does the sentence start with äidin instead of just äiti?
Because of the verb täytyy (must). In Finnish obligation sentences, the person who has to do something must be in the genitive case (ending in -n). That is why the basic word äiti (mother) becomes äidin.
What happens to the letters in äiti when it becomes äidin?
When adding the -n ending, Finnish applies a spelling rule called consonant gradation. The strong consonant t in äiti softens to a d because the ending closes the syllable, making it äidin.
If the subject was a different person, would täytyy get a personal ending?
No, täytyy is a frozen verb form. It always stays exactly like this, no matter who the subject is. Whether it is minun täytyy (I must) or äidin täytyy (the mother must), the verb does not change.
Why is lääke in its basic form? Should it not have an -n ending since it is the object?
Normally, a complete object does take an -n ending (like in Otan lääkkeen - I take the medicine). However, there is a special exception: in sentences with obligation verbs like täytyy, the whole object stays in its basic (nominative) form. So it is just lääke.
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