Questions & Answers about Peikot ja noidat paetkoot!
Why does the verb take the form paetkoot instead of a regular imperative like paetkaa?
The regular plural imperative paetkaa means "You (plural) flee!". But here, the command isn't directed at the listener; it is a command about a third party ("Let them flee"). This requires the 3rd person imperative (the jussive). Since the subjects (Peikot ja noidat) are plural, we use the 3rd person plural suffix -koot.
How is the jussive form paetkoot constructed from the dictionary form paeta?
For 3rd person imperatives, the suffix -koon (singular) or -koot (plural) attaches to the consonant stem of the verb. paeta is a Type 6 verb. To find its consonant stem, you remove the final -a, leaving paet-. Then you just add -koot to make paetkoot.
The present tense of paeta is pakenee. Why doesn't the jussive use that strong grade 'k' stem?
The jussive endings -koon and -koot are always added to the weak consonant stem, just like the regular imperative. Even though the present tense uses the strong vowel stem (pakene-), the imperative mood relies on the base consonant stem (paet-). That is why we do not say pakenekoot.
As a quick refresher, why does noita (witch) change to noidat in the plural?