infinitiivipääte

The infinitive ending in Finnish is called the "infinitiivipääte". It is a suffix attached to a verb stem to form the infinitive, which is the basic, unconjugated form of the verb. There are two main types of infinitive endings in Finnish, corresponding to the two main verb conjugations.

The first infinitive ending is typically "-a" or "-ä", depending on vowel harmony. For example, the verb "tulla" (to come) has the stem "tul-" and the first infinitive is "tulla". Similarly, "nähdä" (to see) has the stem "näh-" and the first infinitive is "nähdä". This ending is often used when the verb is the main verb in a sentence or when it is followed by certain auxiliary verbs.

The second infinitive ending is "-ta" or "-tä", also determined by vowel harmony. For instance, the verb "ostaa" (to buy) has the stem "osta-" and the second infinitive is "ostaa". The verb "käyttää" (to use) has the stem "käyttä-" and its second infinitive is "käyttää". The second infinitive has various uses, including expressing purpose or consequence, and often appears in certain grammatical constructions.

The choice between the first and second infinitive ending depends on the specific verb and the grammatical context in which it is used. Understanding these endings is crucial for correctly conjugating Finnish verbs and forming grammatically sound sentences.