【芬兰语语法】§96 OMISSION AND ASSIMILATION OF SOUNDS

 There are several omissions and assimilations which are particularly common

in the colloquial spoken language. In the examples that follow, the colloquial

spoken language is compared with the ‘official’ pronunciation of the standard

language.

(1) The final vowels -i and -a, -ä are dropped (and a preceding long

consonant is shortened) in certain endings, of which the most important

are the inessive case ending -ssa ~ -ssä, the elative -sta ~ -stä, the

adessive -lla ~ -llä, the ablative -lta ~ -ltä, the translative -ksi, the second

person singular possessive suffix -si, the conditional -isi and the past

tense -s/i.

‘Official’ pronunciation Colloquial pronunciation

talossa in the house talos

meressä in the sea meres

talosta out of the house talost

merestä out of the sea merest

autolla by car autol

häneltä from him hänelt

vanhaksi to (become) old vanhaks

autosi your car autos

hän tulisi he would come hän tulis

Pekka sanoisi Pekka would say Pekka sanois

meillä on we have meil on

Tuula heräsi Tuula woke Tuula heräs

(2) The final -i of diphthongs (e.g. ai, oi, ui, äi) is dropped in unstressed

syllables. This also often applies to the -i of the past tense and the first

vowel of the conditional ending -isi.

punainen red punanen

sellainen such sellanen

semmoinen such semmonen

tuommoinen that kind of t(u)ommonen

246 Finnish: An Essential Grammar

‘Official’ pronunciation Colloquial pronunciation

Kalle sanoi Kalle said Kalle sano

Pertti kantoi Pertti carried Pertti kanto

hän kestäisi he would endure hän kestäs

Keijo antaisi Keijo would give Keijo antas

(3) When -a and -ä occur after a vowel they often assimilate to the

preceding vowel, producing a long vowel (ea and eä become ee, oa

becomes oo, etc.).

kauhea terrible kauhee

nopean fast (genitive) nopeen

tärkeä important tärkee

kulkea go kulkee

en rupea I do/will not begin en rupee

väkeä people (partitive) väkee

taloa house (partitive) taloo

varoa look out varoo

(4) The final -t of the past participle -nut ~ -nyt is dropped, or assimilates to

the following consonant.

olen sanonut I have said olen sanonu

olen sanonut sen I have said it olen sanonus sen

Pekka on tullut Pekka has come Pekka on tullu

Pekka on tullut jo Pekka has already come Pekka on tulluj jo

(5) In some words -d- is dropped or changes to -j-.

meidän our meijän

teidän your teijän

tehdään one does tenään

(6) -n- and -l- are occasionally dropped in the verbs ole- ‘be’, mene- ‘go’,

pane- ‘put’, tule- ‘come’.

olen I am oon

olemme we are oomme

menen I go meen

tulet you (sing.) come tuut

tulette you (pl.) come tuutte