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  • Hyphenation: äl‧lös
  • IPA(key): [ˈælːøs]


ällös (in some dialects ellös)

  1. (archaic, poetic) The second-person singular optative present form of the negation verb, partially synonymous with älä, but it is more polite and subtle.
    Ällös pelkää, ystäväiseni.
    (Oh,) fear not, my little friend.


  • The negative verb has no infinitive form. The negative verb beginning with e is the same with indicative, conditional and potential mood and, with those moods, it is conjugated only in person. (For the second-person singular of the negative verb in the imperative mood, see älä, and for that verb in the same person and number in indicative, conditional and potential mood, see et.)
singular plural
first person (imperative) älkäämme
second person (imperative) älä; (optative) ällös (imperative) älkää
third person (imperative) älköön (imperative) älkööt

Usage notes[edit]

  • This archaic verb form is used mainly in poetry, nowadays even more rarely there. If used in standard Finnish, it has a jocular and playful sense.