Presenttimuotojen

Presenttimuotojen, or present tense forms, are the finite verb forms in Finnish that express present-time actions, states, or general truths. They are the most common verb forms in ordinary narration and conversation and can also indicate future actions when used with time expressions or context.

In Finnish, each verb has six present tense forms corresponding to persons and numbers: minä, sinä, hän; me, te, he. For a typical verb, these forms are created by adding person endings to the verb stem. An example with the regular Type I verb puhua (to speak) in the present tense is: minä puhun, sinä puhut, hän puhuu, me puhumme, te puhutte, he puhuvat. The third-person singular form often shows a vowel change or lengthening in the stem, as in puhuu.

There are some regular patterns tied to verb classes. A common pattern for many Type I verbs is endings: -n (1st singular), -t (2nd singular), a vowel or long ending for 3rd singular, -mme (1st plural), -tte (2nd plural), -vat/-vät (3rd plural), with variation due to vowel harmony and stem changes. Other verb classes have their own specific endings, and a few verbs are irregular, notably olla (to be), which uses olen, olet, on, olemme, olette, ovat.

The present tense does not distinguish between simple present and present progressive; Finnish typically uses the same form for both, with context or adverbs signaling ongoing action. The present tense can also convey planned future actions when anchored by time expressions or context, e.g., Huomenna menen (I will go tomorrow).

Overall, presenttimuotojen provide the core set of conjugations that enable Finnish to describe current actions, habitual states, and future plans within a unified tense system.