Partisiippi Perfekti (Past Participle)
The Past Participle in Finnish is a non-finite verb form that acts like an adjective and can also be used in forming perfect and pluperfect tenses.
It can be active (the noun has performed the action) or passive (the noun has received the action).
Aktiivin Partisiippi Perfekti (Active Past Participle)
Function:
- Describes a noun that has done the action.
- Used with the auxiliary verb olla (“to be”) to form perfect (olen tehnyt) and pluperfect (olin tehnyt) tenses.
Formation:
- Verb stem + -nut/-nyt (singular) or -neet (plural)
- Consonant gradation applies where relevant.
- Vowel harmony determines -nut (back vowels) vs -nyt (front vowels).
Examples:
| Verb (infinitive) | Stem | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| nauraa (to laugh) | naura- | nauranut / nauraneet | laughed |
| lukea (to read) | lue- | lukenut / lukeneet | read (past) |
| syödä (to eat) | syö- | syönyt / syöneet | eaten |
| tehdä (to do) | teke- | tehnyt / tehneet | done |
| juosta (to run) | juosse- | juossut / juosseet | run |
Agreement examples:
- kirjan lukenut mies (the man who has read the book)
- kilpailun voittaneet joukkueet (the teams that have won the competition)
Example sentences:
- Olen syönyt jo. (I have already eaten.)
- Näin lukeneen miehen. (I saw the man who had read.)
Passiivin Partisiippi Perfekti (Passive Past Participle)
Function:
- Describes a noun that has been affected by the action.
- Used in the passive perfect (on tehty) and pluperfect (oli tehty) tenses.
Formation:
- Passive stem + -tu/-ty (vowel harmony).
- Some verbs have irregular passive stems.
Examples:
| Verb (infinitive) | Passive Stem | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| lukea (to read) | luet- | luettu | read (has been read) |
| syödä (to eat) | syöd- | syöty | eaten (has been eaten) |
| tehdä (to do) | teht- | tehty | done |
| kirjoittaa (to write) | kirjoitet- | kirjoitettu | written |
Agreement examples:
- luettu kirja (the book that has been read)
- kirjoitetut artikkelit (the articles that have been written)
Example sentences:
- Kirja on luettu monen opiskelijan toimesta. (The book has been read by many students.)
- Työ oli jo tehty ennen määräaikaa. (The work had already been done before the deadline.)
Key Differences:
| Feature | Active Past Participle | Passive Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| Describes | Doer of the action | Receiver of the action |
| Ending | -nut/-nyt, -neet | -tu/-ty |
| Example | kirjan lukenut mies (the man who has read the book) | luettu kirja (the book that has been read) |
Notes:
- Both forms inflect like adjectives and agree in case and number with the noun they modify.
- Active past participle is key in forming the Finnish perfect and pluperfect tenses.
- Passive past participle is used in the passive perfect and pluperfect.
