Elative
The Elative (elatiivi) case is part of the internal locative cases. It typically corresponds to the “from” preposition in English, and usually refers to a change or observation of something going “from inside to outside”. This is not always exact and depends on the context. In Finnish it is indicated by the -sta/-stä suffix.
Concept
Including, but not limited to:
- When something comes from somewhere.
- When giving an opinion.
- When using certain verbs.
Usage
When something comes from somewhere
Typically when something physically comes, moves or changes its position from somewhere.
| Word | Translation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talo | House | Talosta, taloista | From the house(s) |
| Kaappi | Cupboard | Kaapista, kaapeista | From the cupboard(s) |
| Laatikko | Box | Laatikosta, laatikoista | From the box(es) |
| Tasku | Taskusta, taskuista | From the pocket(s) | |
| Auto | Car | Autosta, autoista | From the car(s) |
When giving an opinion
Opinions are typically provided from someone, so they utilise the Elative locative case.
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| Minä tykkään kahvista | I like coffee |
| Sinusta kirja oli loistava | (In your opinion) the book was great |
| Hänestä Suomi on kaunis maa | (In his opinion) Finland is a beautiful country |
Formation
When words end in a single vowel
Words that end in a single vowel of -a/-ä, -o/-ö or -u/-y simply add the -sta/-stä suffix.
| Word | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Talo | Talosta |
| Sänky | Sängystä |
| Kaappi | Kaapista |
New Finnish words
New Finnish words typically look or sound like words in other languages. They perhaps most commonly seem to resemble English words. These words simply add the -sta/-stä suffix.
| Word | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Pankki | Pankista |
| Bussi | Bussista |
| Kahvi | Kahvista |
Old Finnish words
Old Finnish words that end in -i change to -e before adding the -sta/-stä suffix.
| Word | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Järvi | Järvestä |
| Lahti | Lahdesta |
| Suomi | Suomesta |