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Questions & Answers about Minä olen terve.
What does minä mean, and can it be omitted here?
minä is the first-person singular pronoun I. Finnish is a pro-drop language, so the verb ending in olen already shows that the subject is I. You can say Olen terve without minä, and it still means I am healthy. Use minä only for emphasis or clarity.
How is olen formed from the verb olla?
olla is “to be.” In the present tense, you take the root ole- and add the personal ending. For first-person singular you add -n, giving olen (“I am”). The pattern is: ole- + n → olen (I am) ole- + t → olet (you are) ole- (no ending) → on (he/she/it is)
Why is terve not inflected in this sentence?
As a predicative adjective with a nominative singular subject, terve stays in its basic form. Predicative adjectives agree in case and number: since minä is nominative singular, the adjective remains terve. In the plural you’d say Olemme terveitä (“We are healthy”).
How do you pronounce Minä olen terve, and where does the stress go?