Optative and Blessing Forms

This lesson groups wish-like uses of imperative forms with the older optative. Modern -koon/-köön forms are third-person imperatives (jussives); archaic forms such as ollos address a second-person singular listener. The names and paradigms should not be treated as identical. They are used to express a wish, a decree, or a formal postulate. While rare in everyday conversation, they are essential for formal, ceremonial, and mathematical language.

1. Formation (The 3rd Person Jussive):
The jussive is formed by taking the strong vowel stem (for verb types 1 and 2) or the consonant stem (for verb types 3-6) of the verb (the same stem used for the plural imperative) and adding:

• -koon / -köön for singular subjects (hän, se).
• -koot / -kööt for plural subjects (he, ne).

Note the important exceptions tehdä (tehköön) and nähdä (nähköön) which use their consonant stems.
Example: tulla (to come) → tul- + -koon = tulkoon (let him/it come).

2. The Object Case Rule:
A critical difference from the entire 2nd-person imperative paradigm (both singular and plural) is that the 3rd-person active jussive requires the genitive case (-n) for singular total objects, except for personal pronouns and the pronoun kuka, which take the accusative -t ending in both moods. Plural total objects take the nominative plural (-t) just as they do in standard declarative sentences. Note that the 1st-person plural and passive jussive take the nominative-like accusative (no ending) for singular total objects.
Example: Syököön hän omenan. (Let him eat the apple.) vs Ottakoon hän hänet. (Let him take him/her.)

3. Negation:
To negate these forms, use the negative auxiliary älköön (singular) or älkööt (plural) followed by the verb stem + -ko/-kö. Note that negative jussive sentences require a partitive object.
Example: Älköön kukaan tulko sisään. (Let no one come in.) / Älköön hän syökö omenaa. (Let him not eat the apple.)

4. Passive Jussive:
In very formal contexts, you may see the passive imperative form. The suffix -koon / -köön is added to the stem of the present passive participle (the TAVA-participle) to ensure the correct strong passive stem is used.
Example: sanottava → sanotta- + -koon = Sanottakoon se vielä kerran. (Let it be said once more.)

Negative Passive Jussive:
Common in formal rules and decrees, the negative passive jussive is formed with älköön + passive stem + -ko / -kö.
Example: Älköön sitä sanottako. (Let it not be said.)

5. 1st Person Plural Jussive:
In formal or literary contexts, the 1st person plural imperative is formed with -kaamme / -käämme.
Example: Menkäämme! (Let us go!)

6. Perfect Tense Jussive:
In legal or very formal contexts, a perfect tense jussive can be formed using olkoon + active past participle for singular, and olkoot + plural active past participle for plural.
Example: Olkoon tehnyt. (Let him/her have done.) / Olkoot tehneet. (Let them have done.)

7. Archaic 2nd Person Optative:
In poetry or archaic texts, you may encounter the suffix -os / -ös. This is specifically a 2nd person singular form (addressing 'you').
Example: Learn ollos (may you be) as an established archaic form of olla, as in Ollos onnellinen. It is not formed by simply adding -os to ol-.

8. Usage Contexts & Word Order:
The subject can precede or follow the verb; both orders are grammatical, though emphasis and information structure may differ (e.g., Hän syököön is just as correct as Syököön hän).

• Blessings and Toasts: Eläköön! (Long live!), Onneksi olkoon! (Congratulations!).
• Resignation: Olkoon menneeksi. (Let it be / Let bygones be bygones).
• Formal Postulates: Olkoon x... (Let x be...).
• Religious/Solemn: Tulkoon sinun valtakuntasi. (Thy kingdom come).