When is Imperfekti used?

Huom! Vokaalit voivat muuttua: a/ä katoaa ennen -i-: anta a → anto i

Imperfekti

A1 — Verbit

Past tense (imperfect): olla in past, type 1 verbs with -i- marker

I can use past tense of olla and type 1 verbs.

Examples

Olin eilen kotona. — I was at home yesterday.
Puhuin suomea kaupassa. — I spoke Finnish at the store.
Hän ei ollut koulussa. — He/she was not at school.
Me söimme ravintolassa. — We ate at a restaurant.

VerbitA1

Past Tense (Imperfect)

Past tense (imperfect): olla in past, type 1 verbs with -i- marker

Learning Goal

I can use past tense of olla and common verbs.

Exam Skills:YKI 1: KirjoittaminenYKI 1: Puhuminen

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Olin eilen kotona.

I was at home yesterday.

Puhuin suomea kaupassa.

I spoke Finnish at the store.

Hän ei ollut koulussa.

He/she was not at school.

Me söimme ravintolassa.

We ate at a restaurant.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Past Tense (Imperfect)

Finnish past tense adds -i- between the stem and personal ending. For olla: olin, olit, oli... For type 1 verbs: puhuin, puhuit, puhui... Watch out: some vowels change or drop before -i- (a/ä often disappears).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Forgetting -i- marker. Not handling vowel changes before -i- (antaa → antoi, not antai). Using present tense negative form instead of past.

Common Error Patterns

Forgetting past tense -i-

Past tense always has -i- between stem and ending: puhuin, not puhun (which is present).

Using wrong form in past negative

Past negative: ei/en/et + past participle (ollut/puhunut), NOT past indicative (oli/puhui).

Olin eilen kotona.

I was at home yesterday.

Olla → olin (past: ol- + -i- + -n). The -i- marker signals past tense.

Puhuin suomea kaupassa.

I spoke Finnish at the store.

Puhua → puhuin (past: puhu- + -i- + -n). Type 1 verb, straightforward.

Hän ei ollut koulussa.

He/she was not at school.

Past negative: ei + ollut (past participle). NOT 'ei oli'!

Me söimme ravintolassa.

We ate at a restaurant.

Syödä → söimme (past: söi- + -mme). Type 2: syö → söi (vowel change before -i-).

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is Imperfekti used?: Huom! Vokaalit voivat muuttua: a/ä katoaa ennen -i-: anta a → anto i
What are common mistakes with Imperfekti?: Forgetting -i- marker. Not handling vowel changes before -i- (antaa → antoi, not antai). Using present tense negative form instead of past.