Translative

The translatives suffixes ksi and kse-

The suffix of the translative is ksi, but before a possessive suffix it is changed to kse, e.g. taloksi but talokseni, taloksesi, talokseen (∼ taloksensa) etc.

Use of the translative

The translative may indicate the result of a state or role transition, e.g. tulla opettajaksi (to become a teacher), muuttaa vesi viiniksi (to turn water to wine), hänet valittiin presidentiksi (he was elected president), Suomi julistettiin itsenäiseksi (Finland was declared independent), kirja käännettiin suomeksi (the book was translated into Finnish), sää muuttui koleaksi (the weather became chilly), vaihdoin dollarit euroiksi (I changed the dollars to euros).

The translative is also used in contexts like Nettotulo jäi pieneksi (The net income was low), which says the same as Nettotulo oli pieni but suggests that the income was expected to be higher. Compare this with the use of essive, as in Nettotulo pysyi pienenä, which also says the same thing but may suggests a more permanent condition, continuation of previous trend.

The translative may also be used about something new that is made, expressing its intended role or property. Examples: Aita on rakennettu suojaksi hirviä vastaan (The fence has been built to be a protection against elks), Kaikki ihmiset on luotu tasa-arvoisiksi (All men have been created equal).

When used with the verb olla, the translative can be used in the meaning being suitable, adequate, or fit for some position. The person or other entity that is so characterized is expressed by a word in the elative (-stA case). Usually the sentence is negative or presents doubtful question. Examples: Hänestä ei ole johtajaksi (He is not fit for a position of a boss, he wouldn’t be a good boss), Onkohan hänestä johtajaksi? (Would he really be fit for a position of a boss?).

Often the translative corresponds to the preposition “to” or “for” in the meaning “for the purpose of…”, e.g. tulla avuksi (to come to help), esittää perusteluksi (to present as a rationale), ostaa ruokaa sunnuntaiksi (to buy food for Sunday), syödä puuroa aamiaiseksi (to have porrage for breakfast). This also applies to more abstract notions, e.g. hänen hyväkseen (for his benefit) and Jumalan kunniaksi (for the glory of God). The translative of the I infinitive of a verb mostly expresses purpose, e.g. saadakseen (in order to get).

In an expression like Hän teki sen hyvin aloittelijaksi (He did it well for a beginner), the translative corresponds to the English preposition “for” in the sense “in regard to being…”. In such usage, the translative can also associated with an adjective or a noun, e.g. terve ikäisekseen (healthy for his age), liian vanha uutiseksi (too old for news).

The translative may also relate to regarding or calling something or someone as something. We can say, using the essive, pidän häntä ystävänä (I regard him as a friend), but we say, using the translative, luulin häntä ystäväksi (I took him for a friend) and sanoin häntä viisaaksi (I called him wise). Verbs used with the translative include ehdottaa (nominate, propose), hyväksyä (accept), kutsua (call, name), kuvitella (imagine), luulla (incorrectly take as), nimetä (name), olettaa (assume), sanoa (say, call), todeta (state, establish), tuntea (feel; recognize).

Translative forms of ordinal numerals are used when enumerating items in narration: ensimmäiseksi ∼ ensiksi, toiseksi, kolmanneksi, etc. (first, second, third, etc.). To some extent, the Latin expressions pro primo, pro secundo, pro tertio, etc. are used instead in formal style.

The translative has many other uses in phrases, e.g.:

• sano se suomeksi (say it in Finnish); here suomeksi = suomen kielellä
• sain sen lahjaksi (I got it as a present)
• asettua taloksi (to settle down)
• toistaiseksi (for now)
• pyydän anteeksi (I apologize), often shortened to anteeksi; the theoretical base form is anne, but the translative is the only form used
• olla ihmisiksi (to behave decently, “like human beings”)
• ilmaiseksi (for free), the translative of ilmainen (free of cost)
• onneksi (luckily), the translative of onni (luck); but the expression Onneksi olkoon means “Congratulations”
• miksi (why), the translative of mikä (what)
• tueksi (in support of ), the translative of tuki (support), e.g. vaatimuksen tueksi (in support of the claim)

Thus, the translative is used in expressions like sanoa suomeksi (to say in Finnish) and kääntää suomeksi (to translate into Finnish). But if the language is expressed with two words, like suomen kieli instead of just suomi, the adessive and the allative are used: sanoa suomen kielellä, kääntää suomen kielelle.

Many translative forms, such as aluksi (for a start, to begin with), have become more or less adverbs, though they may still be treated and used like noun forms, too, e.g. hyväksi aluksi (for a good start). Some dictionaries have them as separate entries, described as adverbs, but they might also be described only under an entry for the noun, in this case alku (start), if at all.

Old locational use (corresponding to “to, into”) of the translative is reflected in some adverb-like words like alemmaksi (down, to a lower position), which is the translative of alempi (lower). It is also used for comparatives of nouns, e.g. rannemmaksi (to a place closer to the shore).

The translative also denotes time in some contexts, e.g. kahdeksi viikoksi (for two weeks), maanantaiksi (by Monday). See Expressions of time.

Special usage with tulla and saada

The translative has special idiomatic use in participles together with the verb tulla, which in this context means “to become” rather than “to come”, or the verb saada. The use is best described with examples:

• Tulin sanoneeksi means “I accidentally/unintentionally said”. The phrase contains the past participle sanonut, so literally it means “I became one that has said”. Often the phrase implies some regret or mistake, like letting slip a rash comment. However, it may also indicate that something was unplanned, or it may just soften a question: Tulitko käyneeksi Espoossa? means more or less “Did you perchance visit Espoo?”
• Tapauksesta tulee kuluneeksi viisi vuotta (Soon it will be five years since the event). Here tulla is in present tense form, actually referring to near future. This is just a statement with no “unplanned” tone; it just says that a certain duration has passed.
• Päätös tuli tehdyksi (The decision was accidentally made), with the translative of the passive past participle tehty, usually suggests something unintentional or even mistaken. However, it may also have a purely passive meaning, “was made”, and it is used instead of a 4th person statement like Päätös tehtiin for syntactic reasons; see Finite passive forms in Finnish for more details. Compare this with the phrase Päätös tuli tehtyä, with the partitive, clearly indicating an unintentional action; this phrase type was earlier regarded as dialectal but has been approved since the 1970s. The translative is common in this context in Eastern dialects, the partitive in Western dialects.
• Päätös saatiin tehdyksi (The decision was made). This suggests that there were difficulties or delays. In English, we might say something like “We managed to make the decision” or “The decision was eventually made”. Here, too, the partitive can alternatively be used, e.g. Päätös saatiin tehtyä.