Verbtype 6 is known for verbs that present a change of state, eg. lämmetä “to become warmer”, kylmetä “to become colder” or vanheta “to become older”. However, other verbtypes can also have verbs that carry this meaning. Verbs that express a change of state or being are usually called translative verbs. In this article, we will take a look at verbtype 6 and other translative verbs.

1. Translative Verbs Based on Adjectives

The clearest group of translative verbs are based on adjectives and express something gaining the quality of the adjective, or gaining more of the quality.

The verbs that are marked with an asterisk (*) have corresponding verbtype 6 verbs that are synonyms for the translative verbs. You can read more about the relationship between these verbs further down.

2. Translative Verbs Based on Nouns

Some translative verbs are based on nouns, and express that the subject becomes more like the noun. This is much less common, and these verbs don’t have verbtype 6 verbs that mean the same thing.

3. Corresponding Verbtype 6 Verbs

Below, you can find a condensed version of verbs that have two translative verbs, one of which belongs to verbtype 6. Generally both verbs are used in the same contexts, without there being one that’s clearly used more often.

4. Verbs with Mixed Paradigms

Usually, verbs can be conjugated in all the tenses and moods. However, occasionally there will be holes in the system. Two verbs might get fused together, in a way where some forms from the one verb are used and some from the other.

A good example for this are the verbs parata and parantua. The verbtype 6 verb parata will not be used in forms where there is a consonant stem: the infinitive, the participles and the passive.

Two more examples would be “to get smaller” and “to get bad, worse”:

5. Interesting Reads in Finnish

If you want to learn more about this topic, you could check out the following sources:

• Thesis: Verbijohdokset -ne- ja -ntu- nykykielessä
• Blogulblog’s Blog: Derivarea verbelor