A1 Finnish GrammarNegation
Learn to make negative sentences in Finnish using the unique negative verb 'ei'. Unlike most languages, Finnish conjugates the negative verb instead of the main verb. Master negation patterns for present tense and basic expressions.
1The Negative Verb 'Ei'
Finnish uses a special negative verb 'ei' that conjugates according to the subject. The main verb stays in its stem form (connegative) and does not change. This is unique to Finnish and related languages. The negative verb carries all the person/number information.
Conjugation of 'Ei'
| Person | Negative Verb | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| minä (I) | en | minä en puhu | I don't speak |
| sinä (you) | et | sinä et puhu | you don't speak |
| hän (he/she) | ei | hän ei puhu | he/she doesn't speak |
| me (we) | emme | me emme puhu | we don't speak |
| te (you pl.) | ette | te ette puhu | you don't speak |
| he (they) | eivät | he eivät puhu | they don't speak |
Examples
Minä en ymmärrä.
I don't understand.
en + connegative stem 'ymmärrä'
Hän ei puhu suomea.
He/She doesn't speak Finnish.
ei for third person singular
Me emme tiedä.
We don't know.
emme for 'we'
He eivät asu täällä.
They don't live here.
eivät for 'they'
2Forming the Connegative Stem
The main verb in negative sentences uses a special form called the connegative. For most verbs, this is the same as the first person singular without the final -n. For example: puhun → puhu, syön → syö. The stem never changes regardless of person.
Connegative Stem Formation
| Infinitive | 1st Person | Connegative | Negative Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| puhua (speak) | puhun | puhu | en puhu |
| syödä (eat) | syön | syö | et syö |
| tulla (come) | tulen | tule | ei tule |
| mennä (go) | menen | mene | emme mene |
Examples
Sinä et syö lihaa.
You don't eat meat.
syö is the connegative of syödä
Koira ei juo maitoa.
The dog doesn't drink milk.
juo from juoda (to drink)
Lapset eivät nuku.
The children aren't sleeping.
nuku from nukkua (to sleep)
Minä en tiedä vastausta.
I don't know the answer.
tiedä from tietää (to know)
3Negating 'Olla' (To Be)
The verb 'olla' (to be) is the most common verb and follows the same pattern. Its connegative form is 'ole'. Negative forms of 'olla' are used constantly in everyday Finnish for descriptions, locations, and existence.
Negative Forms of 'Olla'
| Positive | Negative | English |
|---|---|---|
| minä olen | minä en ole | I am not |
| sinä olet | sinä et ole | you are not |
| hän on | hän ei ole | he/she is not |
| se on | se ei ole | it is not |
Examples
Minä en ole suomalainen.
I am not Finnish.
en ole = am not
Tämä ei ole minun kirjani.
This is not my book.
ei ole = is not
Hän ei ole kotona.
He/She is not at home.
kotona = at home (inessive)
Emme ole väsyneitä.
We are not tired.
emme ole = we are not
4Common Negative Expressions
Learn essential negative expressions: ei mitään (nothing), ei kukaan (nobody), ei koskaan (never), ei vielä (not yet), ei enää (not anymore). These combine the negative verb with indefinite pronouns or adverbs.
Negative Expressions
| Finnish | English | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| ei mitään | nothing | with transitive verbs |
| ei kukaan | nobody | subject of negative sentence |
| ei koskaan | never | time expression |
| ei vielä | not yet | incomplete action |
Examples
Minulla ei ole mitään.
I have nothing. / I don't have anything.
ei mitään = nothing
Kukaan ei tule.
Nobody is coming.
kukaan = nobody (in negative)
En ole koskaan käynyt Suomessa.
I have never been to Finland.
koskaan = ever/never
Hän ei ole vielä täällä.
He/She is not here yet.
ei vielä = not yet