Finnish Grammar for Elementary LearnersCEFR A2 Level
Build on the basics with past tenses and more complex structures.
Build on your Finnish foundations with A2 elementary grammar. Master past tense, future tense, comparative forms, and more complex sentence structures. Ideal for learners ready to expand their Finnish grammar knowledge beyond the basics.
Past Tense
Form Finnish past tense using the imperfekti (-i-) for simple past and perfekti (olla + past participle) for completed actions.
Present Perfect Tense
Connect past actions to the present using Finnish present perfect (perfekti). Formed with 'olla' + past participle, this tense describes completed actions and experiences. It is the most common past tense in spoken Finnish.
Adjectives & Case Agreement
Master Finnish adjective inflection where adjectives must agree with nouns in number and case.
Possessive Pronouns
Learn Finnish possessive pronouns (omistuspronominit) to replace nouns and avoid repetition. Unlike many languages, Finnish uses possessive suffixes attached to nouns, but standalone possessive pronouns also exist. This lesson covers both systems for expressing ownership.
Possessives
Express ownership in Finnish using possessive suffixes -ni, -si, -nsa and the genitive case for possessors.
Prepositions (Location & Direction)
Master Finnish postpositions and prepositions for location and direction. Unlike most European languages, Finnish primarily uses postpositions (placed after the noun) and case endings instead of prepositions. Learn the essential location markers and how they combine with cases.
Comparatives and Superlatives
Compare things in Finnish using -mpi for comparatives and -in for superlatives, with consonant gradation patterns.
Modal Verbs
Express ability, necessity, and permission in Finnish using modal verbs voida, täytyä, saada, and osata.
Reflexive Pronouns
Use Finnish reflexive pronoun itse and reflexive possessive suffixes to refer back to the subject.
Reflexive Verbs
Learn Finnish reflexive verbs and constructions. Finnish handles reflexivity differently than most European languages, using the reflexive pronoun 'itse' and special verb forms. Master how to express actions directed back at the subject.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Master Finnish coordinating conjunctions to connect words, phrases, and sentences. Finnish conjunctions like ja (and), mutta (but), tai (or), and koska (because) follow patterns similar to English but with some unique features. Learn to build natural compound sentences.
Subordinate Clauses (koska, että, kun)
Learn to create complex sentences in Finnish using subordinate clauses. Master conjunctions like koska (because), että (that), and kun (when/if) to express reasons, reported speech, and time relationships. Finnish subordinate clauses maintain standard word order.
Object Pronouns (Accusative & Partitive)
Master Finnish object pronouns and learn when to use accusative versus partitive case. Finnish expresses 'me', 'you', 'him', 'her' through case endings on pronouns. Understanding when to use minut (accusative) versus minua (partitive) is essential for correct Finnish.
Imperative (Commands)
Learn to give commands and instructions in Finnish using the imperative mood. Finnish has different imperative forms for singular (sinä), plural/formal (te), and first person plural (let us). Master both positive commands and negative imperatives with the special älä/älkää forms.
Adjective Endings
Master how Finnish adjectives agree with nouns in number and case. Unlike English, Finnish adjectives change form to match the noun they describe. Learn the patterns for nominative, partitive, and other common cases to make your Finnish sound natural.
Temporal Prepositions
Learn Finnish time expressions using postpositions and case endings. Finnish expresses 'since', 'for', 'until', and 'during' differently than English, often using case endings on nouns rather than separate prepositions. Master these essential time markers for fluent Finnish.