Breakdown of Vastaa lääkärille ja ole rauhallinen.
olla
to be
ja
and
lääkäri
doctor
vastata
to answer
rauhallinen
calm
Questions & Answers about Vastaa lääkärille ja ole rauhallinen.
How do we get the imperative form vastaa from the verb vastata (to answer)?
Vastata is a Type 4 verb. To form the informal command (2nd person singular imperative), you take the present tense 'I' form (minä vastaan) and drop the -n. So, vastaan becomes vastaa. A handy trick for Type 4 verbs is that you can also just drop the final -ta or -tä from the dictionary form!
Why does lääkäri (doctor) have the -lle ending here?
The -lle ending is the allative case, which often translates to 'to'. In Finnish, you direct your answer to someone. When using the verb vastata, the person you are answering always takes this -lle ending.
The command ole means 'be!', but what is its dictionary form?
The dictionary form is olla (to be). It is an essential but irregular Type 3 verb. Even though the current lesson focuses on Types 4 and 5, you will see ole constantly. Its command form is built directly from its vowel stem, ole-.
Why doesn't the adjective rauhallinen (calm) take a special object ending here?
While it is true that objects in imperative sentences often drop their normal -n ending, rauhallinen is not an object. It is an adjective describing the subject via the verb olla (to be). Because it describes a single person, it stays in its basic dictionary form.
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