Questions & Answers about Valitse hissi, jos olet sairas.
How do we get the command form valitse from the dictionary verb valita?
valita is a Type 5 verb. To form the informal command (the 2nd person singular imperative), you use the same stem as the present tense, but without the personal ending. First, find the minä form: minä valitsen (I choose). Then, drop the -n at the end. That leaves you with valitse (Choose!).
Why is the object hissi in its basic form instead of taking the -n ending like hissin?
This is a special rule for commands! When you tell someone to do a complete action using an imperative verb like valitse, the total object takes the basic nominative form rather than the -n ending. This means the object looks exactly like it does in the dictionary.
Why does the sentence say jos olet sairas instead of jos sinä olet sairas?
In Finnish, the personal pronouns for I (minä) and you (sinä) are usually dropped because the verb ending already tells us who is doing the action. The -t at the end of olet makes it perfectly clear that it means you are.
Could I use the partitive form hissiä here instead of hissi?
You would only use hissiä if the action was incomplete, ongoing, or if you were choosing an undefined amount of something. Because choosing an elevator is a quick, completed action, the object takes the total object form (hissi).
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