When an ending closes a syllable, a k, p or t in the stem weakens: lukea gives luen, tavata gives tapaan, lyhyt gives lyhyen. It works the other way too, so the dictionary form is not always the strong one. This is why Finnish stems look unstable.
Examples
- Siivoan keittiön joka lauantai.
- I clean the kitchen every Saturday.
- Luen lehteä aamulla.
- I read the paper in the morning.
- Tapaan ystäviä viikonloppuisin.
- I meet friends at weekends.
The mistake to avoid
Gradation follows the syllable, not the meaning - it applies to nouns as much as verbs.
Where this fits in
Päivittäiset rutiinit, Finnish A2: Talk about your daily routine, habits, and how often you do things.