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:
- "T" is added to nouns that have no other endings. For example, talo (house) becomes talot (houses).
- "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
- to the car
- at the table
- on the desk
Depending on the various grammar rules, Finnish prepositions may appear in one of three ways:
- They may come before the noun. For example, ennen sotaa (before the war).
- They may come after the noun. (In this case, it is called a postposition.) For example, sodan jälkeen (after the war).
- They may be added to the noun. For example Helsinki becomes Helsinkiin (into Helsinki).
Table 2 contains other examples.
Word endings
Endings are also added to words for other grammatical purposes. See Tables 1 and 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 talonitalo » minun talossani house » my househouse » in my house sinun-, si your (singular) talo » sinun talositalo » sinun talossasi house » your househouse » in your house hänen, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n his, her talo » hänen talonsatalo » hänen talossansatalo » hänen talossaan house » his (her) househouse » in his (her) househouse » in his (her) house meidän -mme our talo » meidän talommetalo » meidän talossamme house » our househouse » in our house teidän, -nne your (plural) talo » teidän talonnetalo » teidän talossanne house » your househouse » in your house heidän, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n their talo » heidän talonsa talo » heidän talossansatalo » heidän talossaan house » their househouse » in their househouse » in their house
Prepositional Endings on Nouns
Ending Basic Meaning Example Translation -a, -ä, -ta, -t of, some suku » sukua family » of a family -in by means of, with oma käsi » omin ksin 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. by the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, 1997