AI-assisted

    Finnish cases chart

    Finnish has 14 noun cases. You only need about six to start talking. Here they all are, with the ending, the question each one answers, and a real sentence.

    CaseEndingQuestiontalo (house)Example
    Nominative
    Subject, basic form
    		–kuka? mikä?taloTalo on iso.
    The house is big.
    Genitive
    Possession, total object
    		-nkenen? minkä?talonTalon ovi on punainen.
    The house's door is red.
    Partitive
    Part of something, numbers, negation, ongoing action
    		-a / -ä / -ta / -täketä? mitä?taloaNäen kaksi taloa.
    I see two houses.
    Inessive
    Inside something
    		-ssa / -ssämissä?talossaAsun talossa.
    I live in a house.
    Elative
    Out of something, about
    		-sta / -stämistä?talostaTulen talosta.
    I come out of the house.
    Illative
    Into something
    		-Vn / -hVn / -seenmihin?taloonMenen taloon.
    I go into the house.
    Adessive
    On, at, by means of, having
    		-lla / -llämillä? missä?talollaMinulla on auto.
    I have a car.
    Ablative
    Off, from (a surface or person)
    		-lta / -ltämiltä? mistä?taloltaSain kirjeen ystävältä.
    I got a letter from a friend.
    Allative
    Onto, to (a person)
    		-llemille? mihin?talolleAnnan kirjan äidille.
    I give the book to mother.
    Essive
    As, in the role of
    		-na / -näminä?talonaOlen töissä opettajana.
    I work as a teacher.
    Translative
    Becoming something
    		-ksimiksi?taloksiHaluan lääkäriksi.
    I want to become a doctor.
    Abessive
    Without (rare, formal)
    		-tta / -ttämitä ilman?talottaLähdin rahatta.
    I left without money.
    Comitative
    Together with (formal)
    		-ine-kenen kanssa?taloineenHän tuli lapsineen.
    She came with her children.
    Instructive
    By means of (fixed phrases)
    		-n (plural)miten?taloinKävelin omin jaloin.
    I walked on my own feet.

    Quick check

    Asun ____ (Helsinki)

    Menen ____ (kauppa)

    Juon ____ (kahvi)

    ____ on koira (minä)

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