Learn Finnish: Palkka saattaa nousta.

Verbs of obligation like pitää and kannattaa require the subject to be in the genitive case. However, saattaa (may or might) is a regular modal verb, just like voida (can) or haluta (to want). It takes a normal subject in the nominative case, which is why we use palkka.

How does the verb saattaa conjugate? Does it always stay in the 3rd person singular like pitää does in this lesson?

Unlike pitää and kannattaa, which freeze in the 3rd person singular for obligations (like minun pitää), saattaa conjugates to match its subject. If the sentence was I might rise, it would be minä saatan nousta. Here, it is saattaa because palkka is a 3rd person singular subject.

Is nousta the basic dictionary form of the verb?

Yes, nousta (to rise or to get up) is in its 1st infinitive or dictionary form. Just like with the obligation verbs in this lesson, the second verb in the chain stays in its basic infinitive form. Nousta is a Type 3 verb, which is why it ends in -sta.

I have seen saattaa used to mean something else before. Does it have another meaning?