aikamuotoihin

Aikamuotoihin is a term used in Finnish grammar to refer to the finite verb forms that locate actions in time. In Finnish, the main aikamuodot (tenses) are the present, imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect. These forms are used with personal endings and, for the perfect and pluperfect, with auxiliary forms of the verb olla (to be).

The present tense, or preesens, describes actions happening now or general truths. It is formed by adding present endings to the verb stem, for example syön, syöt, syö, syömme, syötte, syövät (I eat, you eat, he/she/it eats, we eat, you all eat, they eat).

The imperfect tense, or imperfekt, denotes past actions. It is formed with a simple past ending, for example söin, söit, söi, söimme, söitte, söivät (I ate, you ate, he/she/it ate, we ate, you all ate, they ate).

The perfect tense, or perfekti, expresses actions that have relevance to the present. It is formed with the present tense of olla plus the past participle, for example olen syönyt, olet syönyt, on syönyt, olemme syöneet, olette syöneet, ovat syöneet (I have eaten, you have eaten, etc.).

The pluperfect, or pluskvamperfekti, indicates actions completed before another past moment. It uses the imperfect form of olla plus the past participle, for example olin syönyt, olit syönyt, oli syönyt, olimme syöneet, olitte syöneet, olivat syöneet (I had eaten, you had eaten, etc.).

Future time in Finnish is not tied to a distinct tense. It is typically expressed with the present tense or periphrastic constructions such as minä aion syödä (I intend to eat) or minä menen syömään (I am going to eat).