Appendix:Finnish nominal forms

All nouns, adjectives (including different degrees of comparison), pronouns, numerals and participles can be inflected using nominal cases.

Quick reference table

Main cases

Nominative

The "default", unmarked case for words.

Ending: -t (nominative plural only). The nominative singular is unmarked, except for nominals with the -nen suffix which have a distinct nominative singular.

Uses include:

• The dictionary form is the nominative singular, or the nominative plural if no singular forms exist.
• For subjects in a sentence: auto ajaa sillalla (“a car drives on the bridge”).
• For predicatives: tämä on auto (“this is a car”).
• For certain attributes, such as titles: tohtori X:n (“(of) doctor X”).
• For addressing someone: voi äiti (“oh mother”).
• In the nominativus absolutus: siinä hän istui pää täynnä ajatuksia (“there he sat, head full of thoughts”).

Accusative

Used primarily for direct objects.

Ending: -n (singular, but see below), -t (plural or personal pronouns only)

Only the personal pronouns (and the interrogative kuka/ken) have their own accusative forms, ending in -t. For all other nominals, the accusative form is identical to either the nominative ("nominative-accusative" or "unmarked accusative") or the genitive ("genitive-accusative" or "marked accusative").

The nominative-accusative is used:

• in the plural (the genitive plural is never used as an accusative form)
• with a verb in the imperative mood (except for third-person imperatives)
• with an impersonal ("passive") verb (arguably syntactically a subject)
• with a verb in the first infinitive (dictionary form), if it is used independently without a main verb (otherwise the alignment is as with the main verb)
• with some passive/reflexive verb structures, like täytyä
• for cardinal numerals (except for yksi (“one”))

and the genitive-accusative in all other cases.

Uses include:

• The total object of a telic action (cf. partitive): pesin eilen auton ― I washed the car yesterday, huomasin hänet ― I noticed her
  • Nominative-accusative: pese auto! ― wash the car!
• For object-like adverbials of quantity:
  • for expressing a period of time for the duration of an action ("for"): se kestää tunnin ― it will take an hour, anna sen paistua viisitoista minuuttia ― let it cook for fifteen minutes
  • for expressing a quantity ("by", "for"): nousi prosentin ― went up by (one) percent, juoksi metrin ― ran for (one) meter
  • for expressing times, instances, occurrences: sanoi kerran ― once said

Note that the accusative is replaced with the partitive in negative sentences.

Not all grammars (particularly 21st century ones) recognize the accusative as a distinct case outside the few cases where it has its own forms. According to this interpretation, uses of the 'nominative-accusative' and the 'genitive-accusative' are uses of the nominative and genitive cases instead respectively.

Genitive

Ending: -n. In the plural, multiple different genitive plural suffixes exist depending on the inflection class. Variants include -in, -jen, -iden, -itten, -ten.

Uses include:

• Possessive genitive
  • Ownership, possession or similar relation: perheen koira (“the family's dog”), miehen pituus (“the man's height”), presidentin vaimo (“the president's wife”), Suomen markka (“Finnish mark/markka”), lapsen kuva (“a photo of the child”).

    With personal pronouns, may be replaced or used in combination with a possessive suffix

• Extensions of the possessive genitive
  • Meronymy: auton rengas (“car('s) tire”), kirveen terä (“the blade of the axe”)
  • Holonymy: lintujen parvi (“a flock of birds”)
  • Indicating quantity or point of comparison: viiden euron ateria (“five-euro meal”)
  • Certain other grammatical uses in which the suffix may be replaced or used in combination with a possessive suffix:
    • Subject of certain infinitive or participial structures: minun tehdessäni (“as I am doing”), minun syötyäni (“after I had eaten”)
    • Agent of an agent participle structure: miehen ostama ... (“... that the man bought”)
  • Indicating the degree of a quality or property: siedettävän hiljainen (“tolerably quiet”)
  • With many postpositions: veden alla (“under the water”), mäen päällä (“on top of the hill”)
  • With surnames (informal): Meikäläisen Matti
• Subject genitive, subject of verbal nouns or action nouns: koiran haukunta (“the barking of the dog”)
• Object genitive, object of verbal nouns or action nouns: auton ostaminen (“buying a car”)
• The "dative" genitive, now restricted to certain cases (but used more widely in older Finnish):
  • Recipient of an action in certain verb phrases: anna minun mennä (“let me go”)
  • Subject with verb structures indicating necessity: minun täytyy... (“I must... / I have to...”)
  • Subject as the recipient of an emotion or a sensation: minun on vaikea tehdä... (“it is hard for me to do...”)
  • Fixed expressions: Luojan kiitos (“thank God”), once upon a time literally "thanks be to God"

Partitive

Ending: -a, -ta (-tta in the singular only), depending on the inflectional stem. In the plural, the suffix is attached to the plural infix as usual, but a vowel may turn into a glide (taloi- + -a → taloja).

Uses include:

• The object of an atelic (unfinished) action:

  luen kirjaa ― I am reading the book

  olin pesemässä autoa, kun puhelin soi ― I was washing the car, when the phone rang

  • The object of verbs that are chiefly atelic: rakastan sinua ― I love you
• The partial object of an action:

  söin leipää ― I ate (some) bread

  The meaning would be different with the accusative: söin leivän (“I ate the bread”)

  heitin vettä ― I threw (some) water

  The meaning would be different with the accusative: heitin veden (“I threw the water”)

  onko teillä kirjoja? ― do you have books?

  The meaning would be different with the nominativaccusative/e: onko teillä kirjat? (“do you have the books?”)

• The object in negative sentences: en pessyt autoa ― I did not wash the car
  • The object in questions where the answer may still be or is expected to be negative: oletko nähnyt häntä? ― have you seen her?
• Uncountable, indefinite predicatives: lasissa on vettä ― there is (some) water in the glass
• In place of the nominative singular for nominals quantified with a numeral (if that numeral is not one): kaksi autoa ― two cars
• With some quantifying adverbs: paljon autoja ― many cars
• With a possessive suffix, indicates reason or cause: tehdä hyvyyttään ― to do out of one's good heart
• With most prepositions and some postpositions: ilman autoa ― without a car, ennen kesää ― before summer
• Indicating point of comparison: autoa nopeampi ― faster than the car
• Indicating the whole that a part (expressed in a locative case) belongs to: tarttui minua kädestä ― grabbed my arm / grabbed me by the arm
• For object-like adverbials of quantity (see accusative) in negative sentences: se ei kestä tuntia ― it won't take an hour, älä anna sen paistua kahtakymmentä minuuttia ― don't let it cook for twenty minutes, ei juossut sataa metriä ― didn't run (for) a hundred meters
• Uses restricted to certain words:
  • manner: hiljaa ― quietly
  • (period of) time: jonkin aikaa ― for some time, tällä kertaa ― this time
• In the partitivus absolutus (quite rare in modern language): älä syö ruokaa suussa (“don't eat with food in your mouth”)

The partitive form is also identical to the separative case found in some adverbs with the meaning "from", "out of".

Internal locative cases

These cases indicate location. Some of the cases have additional, non-trivial functions.

Inessive

Ending: -ssa.

Uses include:

• Indicating location, "in": istun autossa ― I sit in the car
• Indicating time: tunnissa ― (with)in one hour
• Indicating place or attachment: sukat jalassa ― wearing socks (literally, “socks in the foot/feet”)
• Indicating state or being covered or enveloped by: leipä on homeessa ― the bread is moldy
• Indicating ongoing action with some verbal nouns (not with -minen): olla ruoanlaitossa ― to be cooking
• indicating inalienable possessions or features: suomessa on viisitoista sijamuotoa ― Finnish has fifteen noun cases (literally, “there are fifteen noun cases in Finnish”)

Note:

• maassa ― on, within the ground

  compare the adessive maalla (“in the countryside”)

Elative

Ending: -sta.

Uses include:

• Indicating motion out of, "out of", "from": tulin autosta ― I came out of the car
• Indicating source material, "(out) of": raudasta tehty ― made (out) of iron
• Indicating that something is missing, "(out) of": takista puuttuu nappi ― there is a button missing out of the coat
• Indicating a topic or subject (for discussion), "of", "about": puhua sinusta ― to talk about you
• Indicating the holder of an opinion: minusta se ei ole hyvä ajatus ― I don't think it's a good idea
• Indicating a price or something given in exchange, "for": myydä auto tuhannesta eurosta ― to sell a car for a thousand euro
• Indicating time, especially when emphasizing it as the earliest time possible for something: heti aamusta ― right in the morning
• Indicating holding onto: pitää autosta kiinni ― to hold onto the car
• Indicating cause, reason, "of", "due to": suuttui leikistä ― got angry due to (some) playing around, epäillä murhasta ― to suspect of murder
• Indicating prevention, "from": estin tekemästä ― I prevented from doing

Illative

Ending: -hVn, -Vn, -seen, depending on the inflectional class (the V corresponds to the preceding vowel).

Uses include:

• Indicating motion into, "to", "into", "in": menen autoon ― I'll go in the car
• Indicating direction: vasempaan ― (to the) left
• Indicating a target state: kyykkyyn ― into a squat
• Indicating something that is started or begun: alkaa töihin ― to start to work (on)
• Indicating extent up to: tie päättyi aitaan ― the road ends at the fence, extends to the fence
• Indicating grasping, grabbing, "onto": tarttua minuun ― to grab onto me
• Indicating the target of an inchoative action, particularly one that involves emotions or feelings: ihastua häneen ― to fall in love with him/her
• Indicating the target of some action, particularly an inanimate object that one strives to do something for: rahat kuluivat takkiin ― the money was spent on the coat
• Indicating the cause of some actions: kuolla kylmään ― to die of cold
• Indicating the capability or what something is good "for": ei hänestä ole mihinkään ― he's good for nothing
• Indicating manner with some adverbs and adjectives: homma sujui joutuisaan ― the work progressed speedily

External locative cases

Adessive

Ending: -lla.

Uses include:

• Indicating a location on top of something, "on": se on pöydällä ― it's on the table
• Indicating an approximate or rough location, "at": olen autolla ― I'm at the car, meillä on vieraita ― there are guests at our house, olen huomenna toimistolla ― I'll be at the office tomorrow
• Indicating possession: minulla on auto ― I have a car
  • Indicating certain feelings or sensations: minulla on nälkä ― I am hungry (literally, “I have hunger”)
• Indicating a tool or an instrument, "with": lyödä vasaralla ― to hit with a hammer, syön veitsellä ja haarukalla ― I eat with a knife and fork
  • Indicating the agent of causative or curative verbs: kaivatti kuopan hänellä ― had the pit dug by him
• Indicating a cause or motive: tahallaan ― on purpose
• Indicating means: millä ehdolla teet sen? ― on what condition will you do it?, Kalle elättää perheensä pienellä palkallansa ― Kalle supports his family with his small salary
• Indicating state of being: vatsallaan ― on one's stomach
• Indicating time with some nouns: illalla ― in the evening
• Indicating quantity, "by": kasvoi kahdella ― went up by two
• Indicating something that comes with something else (proscribed, but common): kahvi maidolla ja sokerilla ― coffee with milk and sugar

Ablative

Ending: -lta.

Uses include:

• Indicating motion away from on top of something: otin sen pöydältä ― I took it from/off the table
• Indicating motion away from an approximate or rough location: tulin autolta ― I came from the car (but not from inside the car), tulin matkoilta ― I came from a trip, löysin kadulta lompakon ― I found a wallet on the street
• Indicating from whom something is received, requested or taken away: hän otti sen minulta ― he took it from me, kysyn sinulta ― I'm asking you, sinulta tuli hyvä ehdotus ― you made a good proposal (literally, “from you came a good proposal”)
• Indicating the patient of some actions: se ei sinulta onnistu ― you cannot do that / you're not going to be able to do it (literally, “it will not succeed from you”)
• Indicating a state of being that will cease to be: vatsaltaan ― from being on one's stomach
• Indicating a quantity relative to some other (usually regular) quantity: euro litralta ― euro every litre, viisi euroa tunnilta ― five euro every hour
• Indicating time: kello kuudelta ― at six o'clock, jääkiekkoharjoitukset loppuvat puoli kuudelta ― the ice hockey training ends at half past five
• Indicating appearance or apparent property: maistuu hyvältä ― tastes good, vaikuttaa hyvältä ― seems good, kuulostaa hyvältä ― sounds good
• In expressions discussing some aspect of something, "by": luonteeltaan vilkas ― lively by nature
• Indicating a cause or reason: en saa melulta nukuttua ― I can't get sleep because of the noise

Allative

Ending: -lle.

Uses include:

• Indicating motion onto, on top of something: kissa hyppäsi pöydälle ― a cat jumped on the table
• Indicating motion towards an approximate or rough location: menen autolle ― I'll go to the car, menen matkoille ― I'll go for a trip
• Indicating direction: oikealle ― (to the) right
• Indicating to whom something is given: anna se minulle ― give it to me, tein äidille kakun ― I made my mom a cake
• Indicating a state of being that will be: vatsalleen ― onto one's stomach
• Indicating the target to whom something suits or does not suit: sopiiko se sinulle? ― is that fine with you?
• Indicating appearance or apparent property (same as ablative; the choice between the two is personal, but using allative risks ambiguity): maistuu hyvälle ― tastes good

Abstract locative cases

These cases indicate being or becoming.

Essive

Ending: -na.

Uses include:

• Indicating state, "as": lääkärinä ― as a doctor, pidän sitä hyvänä kirjana ― I consider it a good book, odottaa hermostuneena ― to wait nervously, olla sairaana ― to be ill, ehtiä kotiin ensimmäisenä ― to get home first
• To represent a unit for a quantity, "in": kymmenen euroa dollareina ― ten euros in dollars, paino kilogrammoina ― weight in kilogrammes
• Indicating time: tänä iltana ― (at) this evening/night, ensi vuonna ― next year, juhannuksena ― this midsummer

The essive form is also identical to the locative case found in some adverbs with the meaning "in", "at".

Translative

Ending: -ksi (-kse- with a possessive suffix).

Uses include:

• Indicating assuming or entering a state: hän tuli hulluksi ― he became mad, kirja käännettiin englanniksi ― the book was translated into English, hän tuli toiseksi ― he came/finished second, antaa lahjaksi ― to give as a gift, pestä puhtaaksi ― to wash clean
• Indicating a state that is perceived but not correct: luulin sinua varkaaksi ― I thought you were a thief
• Indicating manner: puhua suomeksi ― to speak in Finnish, olla ihmisiksi ― to behave properly
• Indicating a point of reference or a comparison, "for": ikäisekseen pitkä ― tall for one's age, tuomariksi kansanomainen ― folksy for a judge
• Indicating time that is a deadline or target: valmiina viideksi ― ready by five, siirretään se ensi kesäksi ― let's postpone it to next summer
• Indicating purpose (including the first infinitive): tehdä työkseen ― to do for a living, to do as a job
• With present participles, indicating purpose: ei ole tarkoitettu juotavaksi ― is not meant to be drunk
• With past participles, indicating an action that was carried out inadvertently: taisin tulla sanoneeksi jotain sopimatonta ― I may have inadvertently said something inappropriate
• In some adverbs, motion towards: kauaksi ― (to) far away, tuonnemmaksi ― (to) further over there
• In the long first infinitive

Rare cases

These cases are not as productive, especially in the colloquial language.

Abessive

Ending: -tta.

Means "without". Using ilman is more common in the modern language, and abessive forms are generally restricted to fixed expressions. Abessive forms of the third infinitive remain common, however.

rahatta [= ilman rahaa] ― without money, syyttä ― for no reason, huoletta ― without worry, maksutta ― at no charge, vaivatta ― without effort, vahingotta ― undamaged / without damage, kiistatta ― undeniably, tuloksetta ― without result / to no avail, pitemmittä puheitta ― without further ado, tekemättä ― not done / undone

Instructive

Ending: -n.

The instructive indicates a tool, instrument or manner. It is for the most part constrained to certain fixed expressions, and the adessive case is much more commonly used to mark a tool or instrument. Possessive forms are only used in practice in a single expression.

There is quite a bit of tendency to use two words with instructives: omin silmin ― with my own eyes, pitkin askelin ― with/in long steps, niin muodoin ― consequently / accordingly, suurin ponnistuksin ― with great effort, kaksin verroin ― doubly, monin paikoin ― in many areas/places, suurin toivein ― with great hopes, paljain päin ― with a bare head (i.e. not wearing any headwear).

However, single-word instructives exist as well: säännöin ― with rules, hartiavoimin ― with one's strength (in terms of physical exertion), ilomielin ― with joy / joyfully, vuoroviikoin ― on alternate weeks. Many of them are lexicalized, e.g. harvoin, hyvin, oikein, osin, yksin.

There are some cases where the attribute has a different case: tällä tavoin ― (in) this way, hyvissä ajoin ― in good time, väärälle puolen ― to the wrong side, näillä näkymin ― currently it seems that....

Comitative

Ending: -ne (+ possessive suffix with nouns).

Corresponds to the English preposition with (usually in the sense of bringing something along). No singular form exists. A possessive suffix is added to the inflected form, except for the attribute (often an adjective).

haukkuvine koirineen ― with one's barking dog(s), likaisine sorminesi ― with your dirty fingers, kaikkine varusteineen ― with all its equipment

The postposition kanssa is much more common in general use, though.

Adverbial cases

Only a small number of words, mostly pronouns, inflect in the adverbial cases. As the name suggests, the inflected words are adverbs. See Appendix:Finnish adverbial cases for full information.

Possessive suffixes

See Appendix:Finnish possessive suffixes.

Number

The rules regarding number (singular or plural) in Finnish are roughly the same as those of English: singular for one, plural for every other quantity. However, there are also differences: for example, the plural form isn't necessarily used of multiple things if the number is specified (see Partitive).