Breakdown of Minä luulen, että hän nukkuu.
minä
I
hän
he / she
nukkua
to sleep
että
that (conjunction)
luulla
to think, to suppose
Questions & Answers about Minä luulen, että hän nukkuu.
How do we form luulen from its dictionary form?
The dictionary form is luulla (to think or suppose). It is a Type 3 verb because it ends in two consonants and a vowel (-lla). To conjugate it, drop the final -la and add an -e- to make the stem (luule-). Finally, add the -n ending for 'I' to get luulen.
Does the verb luulla have consonant gradation (strengthening stems) like other Type 3 verbs in this lesson?
No, it doesn't. Consonant gradation only affects the letters P, T, and K. Since luulla only has Ls, its stem never changes. It stays luule- for all persons (for example, minä luulen, hän luulee).
Why is it hän nukkuu with a double kk, when I say minä nukun with one k?
Nukkua (to sleep) is a Type 1 verb. In Type 1, the third-person forms (hän and he) always use the strong grade, meaning they keep the double kk from the dictionary form. Forms for 'I' or 'you' use the weak grade, dropping a k.
What is the word että doing in this sentence?
Että means 'that' when used to connect two thoughts, just like in English ('I think that...'). One small difference to remember is that Finnish always requires a comma right before että.
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