1 Case Endings
The genitive singular ending is -n and the genitive plural ending is -in, -en, -den, -ten, or -tten. The endings -den and -tten are always alternative to each other.
2 Formation of Genitive Singular
The genitive singular is formed by adding the ending -n to the genitive stem. Examples are shown in the tables in the following chapter.
3 Formation of Genitive Plural
The formation of the genitive plural is very complicated, because there are several endings and the case can be formed from three different stems: the nominative stem, partitive stem, and strong-grade plural stem.
3.1 Words that end in a vowel
a) Words that end in a, e, o, u, y, ä, or ö
If a word ends in a single a, e, o, u, y, ä, or ö, the genitive plural is formed by adding the ending -en to the strong-grade plural stem. The plural marker i becomes j between vowels. This group does not include words ending in a relic consonant (see chapter 3.2 a below).
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
koira |
koiran |
koirien |
dog |
kana |
kanan |
kanojen |
hen |
koulu |
koulun |
koulujen |
school |
omena |
omenan |
omenojen |
apple |
mansikka |
mansikan |
mansikkojen |
strawberry |
b) Words that end in i
If a word ends in a single i, the genitive plural is formed by adding the ending -en to the nominative stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
kahvi |
kahvin |
kahvien |
coffee |
enkeli |
enkelin |
enkelien |
angel |
västäräkki |
västäräkin |
västäräkkien |
pied wagtail (Motacilla alba) |
This group also includes comparative forms.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
isompi |
isomman |
isompien |
bigger |
kumpi |
kumman |
kumpien |
which one |
This group also includes the words that undergo the vowel change i ~ e.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
kieli |
kielen |
kielien |
language |
vesi |
veden |
vesien |
water |
kansi |
kannen |
kansien |
lid |
jälsi |
jällen |
jälsien |
cambium |
virsi |
virren |
virsien |
hymn |
meri |
meren |
merien |
sea |
yksi |
yhden |
yksien |
one |
veitsi |
veitsen |
veitsien |
knife |
Note!
If the partitive stem ends in a consonant, the genitive plural can also be formed by adding the ending -ten to it. These words always undergo the vowel change i ~ e. This rule cannot be applied to words yksi 'one' and kaksi 'two'.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
kieli |
kielen |
kielten |
language |
vesi |
veden |
vetten |
water |
kansi |
kannen |
kantten |
lid |
jälsi |
jällen |
jältten |
cambium |
virsi |
virren |
virtten |
hymn |
meri |
meren |
merten |
sea |
veitsi |
veitsen |
veisten |
knife |
Note!
The genitive plural can also be formed by adding either the ending -den or -tten to the strong-grade plural stem, if the word has at least three syllables, the strong-grade plural stem ends in a diphthong, and the syllable preceding the case ending is stressed.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
enkeli |
enkelin |
enkeleiden enkeleitten |
angel |
c) Words that end in two vowels
If a word ends in two or more vowels, the genitive stem is formed by adding either the ending -den or -tten to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
maa |
maan |
maiden maitten |
country |
yö |
yön |
öiden öitten |
night |
tie |
tien |
teiden teitten |
way |
neliö |
neliön |
neliöiden neliöitten |
square |
d) Special forms
The genitive plural of some words ending in a consonant can also be formed with the aid of the ending -ten. These forms belong to elevated style.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
enkeli |
enkelin |
enkelten |
angel |
jumala |
jumalan |
jumalten |
god |
sankari |
sankarin |
sankarten |
hero |
3.2 Words that end in a consonant
a) Words that end in a relic consonant
If a word ends in a relic consonant, the genitive plural is formed by adding either the ending -den or -tten to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
vene |
veneen |
veneiden veneitten |
boat |
koe |
kokeen |
kokeiden kokeitten |
test |
laite |
laitteen |
laitteiden laitteitten |
device |
b) Words that end in l, n, or r
If a word ends in l, n, or r, the genitive plural is formed by adding either the ending -ten to the partitive stem or -en to the strong-grade plural stem.
The ending -ten is added to the partitive stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
avain |
avaimen |
avainten |
key |
ien |
ikenen |
ienten |
gum |
hevonen |
hevosen |
hevosten |
horse |
mahdoton |
mahdottoman |
mahdotonten |
impossible |
suurin |
suurimman |
suurinten |
the biggest |
seitsemän |
seitsemän |
seitsenten |
seven |
askel |
askelen |
askelten |
step |
tatar |
tattaren |
tatarten |
knotweed (Polygonum) |
The ending -en is added to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
avain |
avaimen |
avaimien |
key |
ien |
ikenen |
ikenien |
gum |
hevonen |
hevosen |
hevosien |
horse |
mahdoton |
mahdottoman |
mahdottomien |
impossible |
suurin |
suurimman |
suurimpien |
the biggest |
seitsemän |
seitsemän |
seitsemien |
seven |
askel |
askelen |
askelien |
step |
tatar |
tattaren |
tattarien |
knotweed (Polygonum) |
c) Words that end in s
If a word ends in s, the genitive plural is formed with the aid of the ending -en, -den, -tten or -ten.
If the partitive stem ends in -t, the genitive plural can only be formed by adding the ending -en to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
osuus |
osuuden |
osuuksien |
share, part |
seitsemäs |
seitsemännen |
seitsemänsien |
the seventh |
If the partitive stem ends in -s and the strong-grade plural stem ends in a single vowel, the genitive plural is formed by adding the ending -en to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
varis |
variksen |
variksien |
crow |
If the partitive stem ends in -s and the strong-grade plural stem ends in two vowels, the genitive plural is formed by adding either the ending -den or -tten to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
vieras |
vieraan |
vieraiden vieraitten |
guest |
If the partitive stem ends in -s, the genitive plural can also be formed by adding the ending -ten to the partitive stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
varis |
variksen |
varisten |
crow |
vieras |
vieraan |
vierasten |
guest |
d) Words that end in t
If a word ends in t and the strong-grade plural stem ends in a diphthong, the genitive plural is formed by adding either the ending -den or -tten to the strong-grade plural stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
kevät |
kevään |
keväiden keväitten |
spring |
ohut |
ohuen |
ohuiden ohuitten |
thin |
juossut |
juosseen |
juosseiden juosseitten |
run |
syönyt |
syöneen |
syöneiden syöneitten |
eaten |
If a word ends in t and the strong-grade plural stem ends in a single vowel, the genitive plural is formed by adding the ending -en to the strong-grade plural stem. This group includes only one word.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
tuhat |
tuhannen |
tuhansien |
thousand |
The genitive plural of this word can also be formed with the aid of the ending -ten, but this form belongs to elevated style.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
tuhat |
tuhannen |
tuhanten |
thousand |
e) Loan words
The genitive plural of loan words that end in a consonant is formed by adding the ending -en to the partitive stem.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
radar |
radarin |
radarien |
radar |
stadion |
stadionin |
stadionien |
stadium |
Note!
The genitive plural can also be formed by adding either the ending -den or -tten to the strong-grade plural stem, if the word has at least three syllables, the strong-grade plural stem ends in a diphthong, and the syllable preceding the case ending is stressed.
Nominative |
Genitive sg |
Genitive pl |
Translation |
 |
radar |
radarin |
radareiden radareitten |
radar |
stadion |
stadionin |
stadioneiden stadioneitten |
stadium |
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