Finnish Language Characteristics

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Variant Forms of Words

In Finnish, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Who—whose—whom or marry—marries—married, are examples of words in English with variant forms.

As you read Finnish records, be aware that the endings of most words vary with usage. One word in Finnish often translates into English as two or more words. For example, talo (house) changes to talossa (in the house).

Plurals

Finnish indicates the plural of a word in two ways:

1. "T" is added to nouns that have no other endings. For example, talo (house) becomes talot (houses).
2. "I" is added if the noun has another ending. For example, talossa (in the house) becomes taloissa (in the houses).

Possessives

In addition to or instead of using words like my and theirs, Finnish adds endings to words to show possession. If a word already has another ending on it, the possessive ending appears at the end of the word. For example, see how possessives change the words talo (house) and talossa (in the house):

• his house - hänen talonsa
• in his house - hänen talossansa

See Table 1 for a more complete description of possessives.

Prepositions and Postpositions

In English, words like in, on, with, before, and after are prepositions. They come before the noun in sentence and show direction, location, or time, or introduce an object. For example,

• in the house
• on the desk
• with the meal
• to the car
• at the table

Depending on the various grammar rules, Finnish prepositions may appear in one of three ways:

1. Before the noun. Ennen sotaa (before the war).
2. After the noun (in this case, it is called a postposition). Sodan jälkeen (after the war).
3. Added to the noun. Helsinki becomes Helsinkiin (into Helsinki).

Table 2 contains other examples.

Word endings

Endings are also added to words for other grammatical purposes. See Table 1 and Table 3 for other examples.

Spelling Changes

When an ending is added to a word, the consonants within that word may also change. Consider the following examples:

Letters that Change	Examples
ht to hd	lahti to lahden
k to (nothing)	Ilmajoki to Ilmajoen
kk to k	kirkko to kirkon
lt to ll	ilta to illan
mp to mm	lampi to lammen
n to s	Heinonen to Heinosen
nk to ng	Helsinki to Helsingin
nt to nn	isäntä to isännn
p to v	orpo to orvon
pp to p	pappi to papin
rk to r	Turku to Turun
rt to rr	virta to virran
s to d or t	uusi to uuden, uuteen
tt to t	tyttö to tytön
uku to uvu	suku to suvun
vowel+t to vowel+d	iti to idin

Tables

Possessive Endings

Possessive and Ending	Meaning	Examples: talo (house), talossa (in the house)	Translation
minun, -ni	my	talo » minun taloni	house » my house
		talo » minun talossani	house » in my house
sinun-, si	your (singular)	talo » sinun talosi	house » your house
		talo » sinun talossasi	house » in your house
hänen, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n	his, her	talo » hänen talonsa	house » his (her) house
		talo » hänen talossansa	house » in his (her) house
		talo » hänen talossaan	house » in his (her) house
meidän -mme	our	talo » meidän talomme	house » our house
		talo » meidän talossamme	house » in our house
teidän, -nne	your (plural)	talo » teidän talonne	house » your house
		talo » teidän talossanne	house » in your house
heidän, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n	their	talo » heidän talonsa	house » their house
		talo » heidän talossansa	house » in their house
		talo » heidän talossaan	house » in their house

Prepositional Endings on Nouns

Ending	Basic Meaning	Example	Translation
-a, -ä, -ta, -tä	of, some	suku » sukua	family » of a family
-in	by means of, with	oma käsi » omin käsin	one’s own hands » with one’s own hands
-ine + a possessive ending (see Table 1)	together with	lapsi » lapsinensa or lapsineen	child » together with his (her or their) children
-ksi	changed into, become	vaimo » otti vaimoksi	wife » took for a wife or became a wife
-lla, -llä	at, by, in	Tampere » Tampereella	Tampere » in (at) Tampere
-lle	to	Tampere » Tampereelle	Tampere » to Tampere
-lta, -ltä	from	Tampere » Tampereelta	Tampere » from Tampere
-n	of	talo » talon väki	house » people of the house
-na, -nä	as	lapsi » lapsena	child » as a child
-ssa, -ssä	in	Helsinki » Helsingissä	Helsinki » in Helsinki
double vowel + n	into	Helsinki » Helsinkiin	Helsinki » into Helsinki
-sta, -stä	from	Helsinki » Helsingistä	Helsinki » from Helsinki

Other Word Endings

Ending	Basic Meaning	Example	Translation
-t	forms a plural	talo » talot	house » houses
-ko, -k	indicates a question	Helsingissä  » Helsingissäkö	in Helsinki » in Helsinki?
-ton	without, -less, un-	lapsi » lapseton	child » childless
-tta, -ttä	(on verbs) without	nähdä » näkemätt	to see » without seeing
-n, -t	shows a direct object	talo » näen talon	house » I see the house
		talo » näen talot	house » I see the houses
-lla, -llä followed by a form of the verb olla (to be): on, ei ole, oli, ei ollut, on ollut, or ei ole ollut	shows possession or ownership (to have)	Anna » Annalla on	Anna » Anna has
		Anna Toivonen » Anna Toivosella oli	Anna Toivonen » Anna Toivonen had
		minä » minulla on ollut	I » I have had
		sinä » sinulla oli	you (singular) » you had
		hän » hänellä oli	he/she » he/she had
		me » meillä ei ole ollut	we » we have not had
		te » teillä on	you (plural) » you have
		he » heillä ei ole	they » they do not have

References

Family History Department. Genealogical Word List: Finnish. Salt Lake City: Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1997.