Genitive
 
 
    
 

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

n

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