(5) The root of the passive ends in tta (ttä), and hence the present passive in taan.
(6) The first participle active always ends in va (vä).
To this conjugation belong:—
A. All roots ending in o, ö, u, y.
B. All dissyllables ending in a, ä, and polysyllables ending in ta (tä) after h, l, n, r, s, t; heittä, to throw; tappa, to kill; armahta, to pity; sivalta, to strike; ymmärtä, to understand.
(1) In these verbs a or ä is always changed to e before the termination of the passive, kaata, kaadetaan.
(2) Before the i of the imperfect, polysyllables always reject a or ä, pelasta, pelasti, etc.
Dissyllabic verbs vary in their treatment of a, though ä is always rejected. If the vowel of the first syllable is o or u; then a is generally rejected. Otta, take, imperfect otti; muista, muisti. But if the vowel of the first syllable is a or e, the a of the last syllable generally becomes o; laula, lauloi, sing; anta, antoi, give. But a great number of verbs ending in ta, and having a in the first syllable, use both forms; ahtoi or ahti, blow; karttoi or kartti, to avoid; saattoi or saatti, to lead.
If a verb ending in lta, nta, or rta (or the corresponding forms in ä) elides the vowel before i, then t becomes s; kieltä, to deny, kielsi; kumarta, to adore, kumarsi, etc. The same change occurs after a long vowel in the forms löysi, found; tiesi, knew; taisi, knew how to; pyysi, asked; kaasi, threw down; huusi, shouted. Most verbs of this type, however, take ti, though some have double forms.