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== Variant Forms of Words ==


=== LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS  ===
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.


<br>Variant Forms of Words
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).


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.  
=== Plurals ===
Finnish indicates the plural of a word in two ways:
#"T" is added to nouns that have no other endings. For example, ''tal<u>o</u>'' (house) becomes ''talo<u>t</u>'' (houses).
#"I" is added if the noun has another ending. For example, ''talossa'' (in the house) becomes ''talo<u>i</u>ssa'' (in the houses).


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).
=== 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 - ''<u>hänen</u> talo<u>nsa</u>''
*in his house - ''<u>hänen</u> talossa<u>nsa</u>''


Plurals. Finnish indicates the plural of a word in two ways:
See [[#Possessive Endings|Table 1]] for a more complete description of possessives.
 
*The letter t is added to nouns that have no other endings. For example, talo (house) becomes talot(houses).
 
*The letter 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 a noun. For example, in the house.  


=== 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:  
Depending on the various grammar rules, Finnish prepositions may appear in one of three ways:  
#Before the noun. ''<u>Ennen</u> sotaa'' (before the war).
#After the noun (in this case, it is called a postposition). ''Sodan <u>jälkeen</u>'' (after the war).
#Added to the noun. Helsinki becomes ''Helsinki<u>in</u>'' (into Helsinki).


*They may come before the noun. For example, ennen sotaa (before the war).
[[#Prepositional Endings on Nouns|Table 2]] contains other examples.


*They may come after the noun. (In this case, it is called a postposition.) For example, sodan jälkeen(after the war).
=== Word endings ===
Endings are also added to words for other grammatical purposes. See [[#Possessive Endings|Table 1]] and [[#Other Word Endings|Table 3]] for other examples.


*They may be added to the noun. For example Helsinki becomes Helsinkiin (into Helsinki). Table 2, on the next page, contains other examples.
== Spelling Changes ==
 
When an ending is added to a word, the consonants within that word may also change. Consider the following examples:  
Word endings. Endings are also added to words for other grammatical purposes. See Tables 1 and 3 for other examples.
 
Table 1. Possessive Endings
 
Possessive and Ending Meaning Examples: talo (house), talossa (in the house) Translation minun, -ni my talo&nbsp;» minun talonitalo&nbsp;» minun talossani house&nbsp;» my househouse&nbsp;» in my house sinun-, si your (singular) talo&nbsp;» sinun talositalo&nbsp;» sinun talossasi house&nbsp;» your househouse&nbsp;» in your house hänen, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n his, her talo&nbsp;» hänen talonsatalo&nbsp;» hänen talossansatalo&nbsp;» hänen talossaan house&nbsp;» his (her) househouse&nbsp;» in his (her) househouse&nbsp;» in his (her) house meidän -mme our talo&nbsp;» meidän talommetalo&nbsp;» meidän talossamme house&nbsp;» our househouse&nbsp;» in our house teidän, -nne your (plural) talo&nbsp;» teidän talonnetalo&nbsp;» teidän talossanne house&nbsp;» your househouse&nbsp;» in your house heidän, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n their talo&nbsp;» heidän talonsa talo&nbsp;» heidän talossansatalo&nbsp;» heidän talossaan house&nbsp;» their househouse&nbsp;» in their househouse&nbsp;» in their house
 
Table 2. Prepositional Endings on Nouns
 
Ending Basic Meaning Example Translation -a, -ä, -ta, -t of, some suku&nbsp;» sukua family&nbsp;» of a family -in by means of, with oma käsi&nbsp;» omin ksin one’s own hands&nbsp;» with one’s own hands -ine + a possessive ending (see Table 1) together with lapsi&nbsp;» lapsinensa or lapsineen child&nbsp;» together with his (her or their) children -ksi changed into, become vaimo&nbsp;» otti vaimoksi wife&nbsp;» took for a wife or became a wife -lla, -llä at, by, in Tampere&nbsp;» Tampereella Tampere&nbsp;» in (at) Tampere -lle to Tampere&nbsp;» Tampereelle Tampere&nbsp;» to Tampere -lta, -ltä from Tampere&nbsp;» Tampereelta Tampere&nbsp;» from Tampere -n of talo&nbsp;» talon väki house&nbsp;» people of the house -na, -nä as lapsi&nbsp;» lapsena child&nbsp;» as a child -ssa, -ssä in Helsinki&nbsp;» Helsingissä Helsinki&nbsp;» in Helsinki double vowel + n into Helsinki&nbsp;» Helsinkiin Helsinki&nbsp;» into Helsinki -sta, -stä from Helsinki&nbsp;» Helsingistä Helsinki&nbsp;» from Helsinki
 
Table 3. Other Word Endings
 
Ending Basic Meaning Example Translation -t forms a plural talo&nbsp;» talot house&nbsp;» houses -ko, -k indicates a question Helsingissä&nbsp;» Helsingissäkö in Helsinki&nbsp;» in Helsinki? -ton without, -less, un- lapsi&nbsp;» lapseton child&nbsp;» childless -tta, -ttä (on verbs) without nähdä&nbsp;» näkemätt to see&nbsp;» without seeing -n, -t shows a direct object talo&nbsp;» näen talon talo&nbsp;» näen talot house&nbsp;» I see the house house&nbsp;» I see the houses
 
Ending: -lla, -ll followed by a form of the verb olla (to be): on, ei ole, oli, ei ollut, on ollut, or ei ole ollut Basic Meaning: shows possession or ownership (to have)


<br>
{| class="wikitable" width="45%"
|-
! 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
|}


Example Translation  
== Tables ==
 
=== Possessive Endings ===
Anna&nbsp;» Annalla on Anna&nbsp;» Anna has Anna Toivonen&nbsp;» Anna Toivosella oli Anna Toivonen&nbsp;» Anna Toivonen had minä&nbsp;» minulla on ollut I&nbsp;» I have had sinä&nbsp;» sinulla oli you (singular)&nbsp;» you had hän&nbsp;» hänellä oli he/she&nbsp;» he/she had me&nbsp;» meillä ei ole ollut we&nbsp;» we have not had te&nbsp;» teillä on you (plural)&nbsp;» you have he&nbsp;» heillä ei ole they&nbsp;» they do not have
{| class="wikitable" width="70%"
 
! Possessive and Ending !! Meaning !! Examples: talo (house), talossa (in the house) !! Translation
<br>Spelling Changes
|-
 
| rowspan="2" | minun, -ni || rowspan="2" | my ||talo » minun taloni || house » my house
When an ending is added to a word, the consonants within that word may also change. Consider the following examples:
|-
| talo » minun talossani || house » in my house
|-
| rowspan="2" |sinun-, si || rowspan="2" | your (singular) || talo » sinun talosi || house » your house
|-
| talo » sinun talossasi || house » in your house
|-
| rowspan="3" | hänen, -nsa, -nsä or <br>double vowel + n || rowspan="3" | 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
|-
| rowspan="2" | meidän -mme || rowspan="2" | our || talo » meidän talomme || house » our house
|-
| talo » meidän talossamme || house » in our house
|-
| rowspan="2" | teidän, -nne || rowspan="2" | your (plural) || talo » teidän talonne || house » your house
|-
| talo » teidän talossanne || house » in your house
|-
| rowspan="3" | heidän, -nsa, -nsä or <br>double vowel + n || rowspan="3" | their || talo » heidän talonsa || house » their house
|-
| talo » heidän talossansa || house » in their house
|-
| talo » heidän talossaan || house » in their house
|}


Letters that Change Examples
=== Prepositional Endings on Nouns ===
ht to hd lahti to lahden
{| class="wikitable" width="70%"
k to (nothing) Ilmajoki to Ilmajoen
! Ending !! Basic Meaning !! Example !! Translation
kk to k kirkko to kirkon
|-
lt to ll ilta to illan
| -a, -ä, -ta, -tä || of, some || suku » sukua || family » of a family
mp to mm lampi to lammen
|-
n to s Heinonen to Heinosen
| -in || by means of, with || oma käsi » omin käsin || one’s own hands » with one’s own hands
nk to ng Helsinki to Helsingin
|-
nt to nn isäntä to isännn
| -ine + a possessive ending <br>(see [[#Possessive Endings|Table 1]]) || together with || lapsi » lapsinensa or lapsineen || child » together with his (her or their) children
p to v orpo to orvon
|-
pp to p pappi to papin
| -ksi || changed into, become || vaimo » otti vaimoksi || wife » took for a wife or became a wife
rk to r Turku to Turun
|-
rt to rr virta to virran
| -lla, -llä || at, by, in || Tampere » Tampereella || Tampere » in (at) Tampere
s to d or t uusi to uuden, uuteen
|-
tt to t tyttö to tytön
| -lle || to || Tampere » Tampereelle || Tampere » to Tampere
uku to uvu suku to suvun
|-
vowel+t to vowel+d iti to idin
| -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
|}


=== References ===
=== Other Word Endings ===
{| class="wikitable" width="70%"
! 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
|-
| rowspan="2" | -n, -t || rowspan="2" | shows a direct object || talo » näen talon || house » I see the house
|-
| talo » näen talot || house » I see the houses
|-
| rowspan="8" | -lla, -llä followed by a form of the verb ''olla'' (to be): <br> ''on, ei ole, oli, ei ollut, on ollut'', or ''ei ole ollut'' || rowspan="8"| 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
|}


Family History Department. <u>Genealogical Word List: Finnish</u>. by the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, 1997  
== 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.


[[Category:Finnish_Parishes]] [[Category:Ahvenanmaa_County,_Finland]]
[[Category:Finland Language and Handwriting]] [[Category:Language and Handwriting]]

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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.

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