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Verb type 3

Type 3 verbs have four ending patterns and are subject to consonant gradation.

Pattern

Verbs ending in -lla/-llä, -sta/-stä, -nna/-nnä, -ra/-rä. For example:

Stem

Finding the stem for type 3 verbs can be done by removing the last 2 letters from the verb then adding an -e. For example:

  • Tulla → Tule-
  • Nousta → Nouse-
  • Mennä → Mene-
  • Purra → Pure-

Examples of type 3 verb conjugations

Exceptional type 3 verbs

Juosta

The conjugation for Juosta differs from other type 3 verbs in that the -sta is removed entirely and replaced with -kse, followed by the personal ending. The stem as a result is -juoks. For example:

Olla

Olla is the most common verb in Finnish but has an irregular conjugation. It is usually first verb taught in when starting out with the language. For example:

Common type 3 verbs