Breakdown of Hän puhui selvästi ja hitaasti.
hän
he/she
ja
and
puhua
to speak
hitaasti
slowly
selvästi
clearly
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Finnish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Hän puhui selvästi ja hitaasti.
Does hän mean “he” or “she”?
Hän is gender‑neutral and can mean either “he” or “she.” In casual spoken Finnish people often use se for people too. Note that Finnish he means “they,” not “he.”
Why is it puhui and not puhuu?
Puhui is past tense (he/she spoke). Puhuu is present tense (he/she speaks). For the verb puhua (to speak), the past tense 3rd person singular is formed by adding -i to the stem: puhu- + i → puhui.
Can I drop hän and just say “Puhui selvästi ja hitaasti”?
Usually you keep hän in 3rd person. Dropping it is possible when the subject is crystal‑clear from context (e.g., as a follow‑up answer in conversation), but in isolation it sounds incomplete. In everyday speech you’ll also hear the colloquial Se puhui…
What exactly are selvästi and hitaasti? How are they formed?
They’re adverbs of manner:
- selvästi = from adjective selvä (clear) + -sti
- hitaasti = from adjective hidas (slow) + -sti; adjectives ending in -as typically have an -aa- stem in derived forms, hence hitaasti (not “hidasti”)
More examples: varma → varmasti, nopea → nopeasti, helppo → helposti.
Can selvästi also mean “obviously”?
Yes. Selvästi can mean “clearly (audibly/articulately)” or “clearly/obviously” depending on context. In this sentence it describes clear articulation. Example of the “obviously” sense: Se on selvästi parempi.
Is the order selvästi ja hitaasti fixed? Can I say hitaasti ja selvästi?
Both orders are fine. Finnish is flexible with multiple manner adverbs; the first item can get a touch more emphasis, but there’s no rule requiring one order.
Do I need a comma before ja?
No comma is used before ja when joining words or short phrases. You add a comma only when ja links independent clauses, e.g., Hän puhui selvästi, ja kaikki ymmärsivät.
How do I say it in the present, perfect, or pluperfect?
- Present: Hän puhuu selvästi ja hitaasti.
- Perfect: Hän on puhunut selvästi ja hitaasti. (has spoken)
- Pluperfect: Hän oli puhunut selvästi ja hitaasti. (had spoken)
How do I negate it?
Use ei + the past active participle:
- Hän ei puhunut selvästi. To negate both adverbs together, use eikä for “nor”:
- Hän ei puhunut selvästi eikä hitaasti.
How do I turn it into a yes–no question?
Attach the clitic -ko/-kö to the verb:
- Past: Puhuiko hän selvästi ja hitaasti?
- Present: Puhuuko hän selvästi ja hitaasti?
Is there a more colloquial version?
Very common in speech: Se puhui selvästi ja hitaasti. (using se instead of hän). You may also hear the nonstandard colloquial past without the final -i (e.g., Se puhu hitaasti), but stick to puhui in writing.
Pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- Stress the first syllable of each word: HÄN PUhui SELvästi JA HItaasti.
- ä is a front vowel (like the a in “cat,” but pure): hän, selvästi.
- hitaasti has a long aa; length matters in Finnish.
- ja is pronounced like “ya.”
What’s the difference between selvästi and selkeästi?
They often overlap and both can mean “clearly.” Subtle nuance: selvästi frequently means clear audibility/articulation or “obviously,” while selkeästi can hint at clarity of structure or organization. In this sentence either works.
Does selvästi mean “loudly”?
No. Selvästi is about clarity, not volume. “Loudly” is kovaa or äänekkäästi; “audibly” is kuuluvasti. So someone can speak selvästi but quietly.
Can I intensify the adverbs?
Yes. Common intensifiers include erittäin, todella, hyvin, melko:
- Hän puhui erittäin selvästi ja todella hitaasti.
Do I need to capitalize hän?
No. Finnish doesn’t capitalize personal pronouns (except at the start of a sentence). Hän is capitalized here only because it begins the sentence.