Learn Finnish: Me innostumme aina uudesta projektista. - We always get excited about a new project.

The verb innostua (to get excited) is an emotion verb that always requires the thing causing the emotion to be in the elative case. Instead of using a separate word for "about", Finnish attaches the -sta or -stä ending directly to the noun and its adjectives.

How does the word uusi (new) become uudesta?

Adjectives must match the case of the noun they describe. Because projekti takes the elative case, uusi must as well. The basic stem of uusi is uute-, which undergoes consonant gradation (the t weakens to d) when we add the -sta ending, resulting in uudesta.

Is innostua related to the verb innostaa?

Yes! Innostaa means "to excite" or "to inspire" someone else. By changing the ending to make innostua, it becomes what is called an automative verb. This means the action happens to the subject themselves—so instead of exciting someone else, you "get excited".

Why is aina placed after the verb instead of before it like in English?