Perusverbejä

Perusverbejä are a set of core Finnish verbs used as reference forms in language learning and grammar descriptions. A perusverbi is a verb in its basic dictionary form, used as the model from which other conjugated forms are derived. These verbs are typically common and intended to cover a range of semantic areas. In Finnish, verbs inflect for person and number in finite forms and also form various non-finite forms such as infinitives and participles. Perusverbejä illustrate standard conjugation patterns, vowel harmony, and, in some cases, stem changes. They serve as canonical examples in dictionaries, grammar guides, and language courses. While there is no fixed universal list, educators often compile a representative set that demonstrates typical endings and stem alternations. Examples include olla (to be), tehdä (to do/make), mennä (to go), sanoa (to say), nähdä (to see), antaa (to give), ottaa (to take), syödä (to eat), juoda (to drink), asua (to live).