Partitive
 
 
    
 

1   Case Endings

The essive ending is -a/-ä or -ta/- both in the singular and in the plural. Because of vowel harmony the endings have two variants.

2   Formation

The partitive singular is formed using the partitive stem and the partitive plural using the strong-grade plural stem. If the partitive stem ends in a consonant or two or more vowels, the partitive ending is -ta/- in the singular. Otherwise the ending is -a/-ä.

If a word ends in two or more vowels, a consonant, or a relic consonant, and the strong-grade plural stem ends in two vowels, the partitive ending is -ta/- in the plural. Otherwise the ending is -a/-ä. The plural marker i becomes j between vowels. In the following tables, words have been devided into six groups according to which partitive ending they take in the singular and the plural.

A word ends in two or more vowels.

Nominative

Partitive sg

Partitive pl

Translation

maa

maata

maita

country

öi

night

tienoo

tienoota

tienoita

region

neliö

neliö

neliöi

square

A word ends in a single vowel, and the partitive stem ends in a consonant. All these words undergo the vowel change i ~ e.

Nominative

Partitive sg

Partitive pl

Translation

kieli

kiel

kieliä

language

vesi

vet

vesiä

water

kansi

kantta

kansia

lid

jälsi

jält

jälsiä

cambium

virsi

virt

virsiä

hymn

yksi

yh

yksiä

one

veitsi

veis

veitsiä

knife

A word ends in a single vowel, and the partitive stem also ends in a vowel.

Nominative

Partitive sg

Partitive pl

Translation

koira

koiraa

koiria

dog

kana

kanaa

kanoja

hen

kahvi

kahvia

kahveja

coffee

koulu

koulua

kouluja

school

tammi

tammea

tammia

oak

kurki

kurkea

kurkia

crane

suurempi

suurempaa

suurempia

bigger

A word ends in a consonant, and the partitive stem ends in a vowel. This group only includes some words ending in n and all loan words. The plural marker i becomes j between vowels.

Nominative

Partitive sg

Partitive pl

Translation

suurin

suurimpaa

suurimpia

the biggest

vasen

vasempaa

vasempia

left

seitsemän

seitsemää

seitsemiä

seven

stadion

stadionia

stadioneja

stadium

A word ends in a consonant, the partitive stem ends in a consonant, and the strong-grade plural stem ends in a single vowel.

Nominative

Partitive sg

Partitive pl

Translation

varis

varista

variksia

crow

osuus

osuutta

osuuksia

share, part

avain

avainta

avaimia

key

ien

ien

ikeniä

gum

hevonen

hevosta

hevosia

horse

mahdoton

mahdotonta

mahdottomia

impossible

suurin

suurinta

suurimpia

the biggest

askel

askelta

askelia

step

tatar

tatarta

tattaria

knotweed (Polygonum)

tuhat

tuhatta

tuhansia

thousand

A word ends in a consonant or a relic consonant, the partitive stem ends in a consonant, and the strong-grade plural stem ends in a diphthong.

Nominative

Partitive sg

Partitive pl

Translation

vene

venet

venei

boat

laite

laitetta

laitteita

device

koe

koetta

kokeita

test

karvas

karvasta

karvaita

bitter

vieras

vierasta

vieraita

guest

kevät

kevät

keväi

spring

ohut

ohutta

ohuita

thin

syönyt

syönyt

syönei

eaten