Questions & Answers about Pue takki ja pipo!
Why are takki and pipo in their basic nominative forms instead of being takin and pipon?
This is the main rule of your current lesson! Normally, a total object (an object of a completed action) takes an -n ending. However, because pue is a command, the total objects (takki and pipo) drop that -n ending and stay in the basic nominative form.
What is the dictionary form of the verb pue, and where did the "k" go?
The dictionary form is pukea (to put on clothes). To form the command, we use the "weak" stem of the verb. Because of consonant gradation, the k completely disappears in the weak grade, leaving us with pue.
The English translation says "your coat", but there is no sinun or possessive suffix here. Why?
In English, we usually specify whose clothes are being put on. In Finnish, if it is completely obvious from the context (like commanding someone to get dressed), you usually just leave out the words for "your". Saying takki ja pipo is the most natural way to say this.
Why wouldn't we use the partitive case (takkia ja pipoa) for the objects here?
The partitive case is used for ongoing, continuous, or incomplete actions. Putting on a coat and a hat is seen as a completed action with a clear end result: you are fully dressed to go outside! Because it's a completed action, we use a total object rather than a partitive object.
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