LingoraGrammar guidesLearn Finnish

Finnish grammar · A1

Nouns: Illative Case (into)

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 14 October 20262 min readComments

This is the ending for movement to the inside of somewhere: is a house, is into the house. It answers , in the house, which states where you already are — one word, and the ending decides whether you have arrived or are on your way.

Its shape is the least predictable of the place endings. Usually the final vowel doubles and -n follows: . Words ending in a long vowel insert h: . A few take -seen: . Learn the form with the word rather than deriving it.

01

Movement Into a Place

  • Menen kauppaan.

    I'm going (in)to the shop.

  • kauppa shop, -an the "into" ending — the final vowel is lengthened and -n added
  • set it beside kaupa-ssa in the shop: same word, one says where you are and the other where you are heading

  • Hän tuli huoneeseen.

    He/she came into the room.

  • Laitan rahat lompakkoon.

    I put the money into the wallet.

  • Matkustamme Suomeen.

    We're travelling to Finland.

02

With Verbs of Attitude and Belief

Several Finnish verbs that point "toward" a target take this ending where English would use "in", "with", or "to".

  • Uskon sinuun.

    I believe in you.

  • Olen tyytyväinen työhön.

    I'm satisfied with the work.

  • Tutustuin uuteen naapuriin.

    I got to know the new neighbour.

03

Up to a Point in Time

The illative also marks the end point of a stretch of time.

  • Kauppa on auki kahteen asti.

    The shop is open until two o'clock.

  • Jään tänne iltaan saakka.

    I'll stay here until the evening.

04

The Internal Set at a Glance

Seen together, the three internal cases share the "inside" idea aimed in three directions: (in the house), (into the house), (out of the house).

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Finnish course

52 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 39. A few of them, with the words “Nouns: Illative Case (into)” is about in bold:

  • Haluan mennä kotiin nyt.

    I want to go home now.

    Lesson 71

  • En ole nähnyt sinua yhdeksään vuoteen!

    I haven't seen you for nine years!

    Lesson 175

  • Haluan ostaa tämän kasvin. Se tulee näyttämään upealta huoneessani.

    I want to buy this plant. It will look great in my room.

    Lesson 384

All 37 Finnish grammar topics

Comments

Loading comments…