älkööt

• IPA^(key): /ˈælkøːt/, [ˈælkø̞ːt̪]
• Hyphenation: äl‧kööt

älkööt

1. (dated) The third-person plural form of the negation verb in imperative, may they not.

   • Juoskoot! (“May they run!”) → Älkööt juosko! (“May they not run!”)

• Älkööt is used with a connegative form of the main verb, ending with -ko/-kö, identical to the form used with third-person singular, first-person plural and second-person plural.

• This form is quite often confused with älköön, which is the third-person singular form.

• The third person plural of the negative imperative is nowadays a bit old-fashioned so it, primarily, pertains to ceremonious, very formal, archaic, poetic or religious contexts – i.e., positive imperative of this person (Juoskoot!) is, as the speaker's subjective wish, more common than the negative (Älkööt juosko!).

• The negation verb has no infinitive form.
• Indicative, conditional and potential moods use the indicative forms (stem e-), for which the verb is conjugated only in person.
• In the imperative mood the negation verb has the stem äl-.
• An archaic optative mood exists and is used mainly in poetry.

person	indicative mood	imperative mood	optative mood
1st sing.	en	(älkääni, älkäämi)	(ällön)
2nd sing.	et	älä	(ällös)
3rd sing.	ei	älköön	(älköön)
1st plur.	emme	älkäämme	(älköömme)
2nd plur.	ette	älkää	(älköötte)
3rd plur.	eivät	älkööt	(älkööt)