Odottaisi

Odottaisi is a Finnish verb form that represents the third-person singular conditional present of the verb odottaa, meaning to wait. It is used to express hypothetical actions or polite wishes, similar to the English “would wait.”

Formation and grammatical role: The form is created by adding the conditional suffix -isi- to the verb stem odotta-, producing odottaisi. The third-person singular ending is integrated in this suffix, so no additional personal ending is required. As a result, odottaisi corresponds to “he/she/it would wait.”

Usage: Odottaisi commonly appears in conditional clauses introduced by jos (if) or in statements that express willingness under a condition. For example: Jos hän odottaisi vielä hetken, ehtisi saapua ajoissa. This means “If he waited a little longer, he would arrive on time.” Another example: Hän odottaisi mielellään apua, jos sitä tarjottaisiin. This translates to “He would gladly wait for (or accept) help if it were offered.”

Relation to other forms: Odottaa has other tenses and moods, including the present indicative odottaa, the past odotti, and various participles. Odottaisi is specifically the conditional present form. Etymologically, it is formed from the verb stem odotta- plus the conditional suffix -isi-.

See also: Odottaa, Finnish grammar, conditional mood.