Inflection types of nouns

Variation in inflection

In inflection, both the stem of a word and its suffixes may take different forms. For some cases, there are alternative suffixes, partly in free variation, partly with some stylistic difference.

To describe the variation, a word may be described by showing some thematic forms: typical forms from which all the other forms can be derived mechanically. Typical forms for a noun might be as shown in the following table. The example words shown are valo “light” (with no variation in stem) and käsi “hand; arm” (with considerable variation in stem: käsi, käde-, kät-, käte-).

In Nykysuomen sanakirja, the typical forms include the essive singular (valona, kätenä), which sometimes has specialties in inflection. In the newer Kielitoimiston sanakirja, the nominative plural is included.

In Latin grammars, nouns are divided into 5 inflection types (declinations), each with some specialities in case endings. You might thus find it unpleasant to hear that in Finnish, there are 85 inflection types for nouns in Finnish, according to Nykysuomen sanakirja, though “only” 51 according to the newer system. The newer system is used in Suomen kielen perussanakirja and its successor Kielitoimiston sanakirja as well as the word list Nykysuomen sanalista and in the Joukahainen database (which uses the term Kotus-luokka for a type). The system uses somewhat different grouping, omits some outdated inflection types, and uses verbal descriptions for some special inflections. Appendix Inflection classes of noun-like words summarizes the new system.

The inflection types (of the new system) can be referred by number, e.g. 1, or by a type word, e.g. valo, or by a combination: 1 valo or valo 1.

The inflection type concept does not include consonant gradation in the stem or the effects of vowel harmony. These phenomena are described separately. For example, the word helppo (easy) is described in Kielitoimiston sanakirja as follows: helppo^1*B. This means that the word belongs to inflection type 1 and that there is consonant gradation in it, of gradation type B, which means the pp : p gradation. You are supposed to know the vowel harmony rules, so that e.g. the partitive suffix (which is A for inflection type 1) is a and not ä.

Most of the variation can be understood on the basis of more general rules. The inflection types just show the effects of the rules on specific kinds of words. Yet, the inflection information included in the types is very handy when you need to check what the forms of a particular word are.

The following descriptions deal with different inflection types according to the last letter of the basic form. Although the basic form is often exceptional, it is the form used in dictionaries, so we use it in this practical grouping. Consonant gradation is not discussed in this presentation.

Nouns ending with a long vowel

When the word ends with a long vowel, this vowel is shortened before the plural suffix i. Otherwise, the stem remains unchanged. Example: puu : puun : puuta : puuhun : puiden : puita : puihin (tree; wood).

Nouns ending with a diphtong

When the word ends with a diphthong ie, uo, or yö, the first vowel of the diphthong is lost before the plural suffix i. Otherwise, the stem remains unchanged. Example: tie : tiessä : teissä, suo : suossa : soissa, yö : yössä : öissä.

A stem ending with a diphthong with i as the second component remains unchanged except that the i is lost before before the plural suffix i, e.g. hai (shark) : haissa (in shark) : haissa (in sharks). Since the distinction between plural and singular is thus lost in most case forms, the plural forms are often avoided, e.g. using a different word like haikala (“shark-fish”).

Otherwise, a diphtong at the end of word stem remains unchanged. Such words are relatively new loanwords. Their plural forms (except the nominative) are avoided, since many of them look and sound odd, e.g. leu : leuissa, show (pronounced šou) : show’issa (pronounced šouissa).

Nouns ending with short o, u, ö, or y

Nouns that end with a short o, u, ö, or y are the only nouns that have no stem variation except possibly consonant gradation. Example: yhtiö : yhtiön : yhtiötä : yhtiöön : yhtiöiden: yhtiöitä : yhtiöihin (company).

Nouns ending with short a or ä

A noun that ends with a short a or ä has stem variation in plural forms: the a or ä is either lost or changed to o or ö, respectively. See section Vowel changes before an i suffix. Examples: pesä : pesän : pesää: pesään: pesien : pesiä: pesiin (nest) and kala : kalan : kalaa : kalaan : kalojen : kaloja : kaloihin (fish).

Nouns ending with short i

Nouns that end with a short i may have the i preserved in inflection, except in the plural stem where it is changed to e according to general rules. Example: laki : lai|n : laki|a : laki|in : laki|en : lake|j|a : lake|i|hin (law). In the example, the inflection stem is laki-, the plural stem is lakei-, except that the k may be omitted due to consonant gradation. This type includes most new loanwords that end with a consonant in the original form and have an i appended in Finnish, e.g. filmi : filmi|n : filmi|ä : filmi|en : filme|jä : filme|i|hin.

Other nouns that end with a short i have the i changed to e in the inflection stem, except in the plural stem where it is omitted according to general rules. Example: laki : lae|n : lake|a : lake|en : lak|i|en : lak|i|a : lak|i|in (top, crown). In the example, the inflection stem is lake-, the plural stem is laki-, except that the k may be omitted due to consonant gradation. Note that the genitive plural lakien is the same as in the laki : lain inflection.

As the examples show, the inflection cannot be inferred from the dictionary form. You need to learn the inflection type when you learn a new word ending with i. The type where i changes to e is older, and new words of this type are not created.

In words where i changes to e, the formation of the partitive singular varies. It can be formed with the -A suffix as in the example, appended to the inflectional stem (e.g. lake|a). However, in some words, the partitive suffix is -tA and the e is omitted before it, e.g. tuli : tule|n : tul|ta (fire). This happens when the e in the inflectional stem (and the i in the dictionary form) is preceded by the consonant l, n, or r (e.g. kieli : kielen : kieltä, ääni : äänen : ääntä, hiiri : hiiren : hiirtä) or by a t preceded by one of those consonants or a vowel (e.g. vesi : veden : vettä), and also in some individual words like lohi : lohen : lohta. There are also some words that additionally have a consonant combination simplified, e.g. lapsi : lapsen : lasta (i.e. ps simplified to s before t), veitsi : veitsen : veistä.

This may sound complicated, and these inflection issues sometimes cause problems even to native speakers, when dealing with rare words. For example, they know the inflection kilpi : kilven (shield), but when they encounter a word like alpi (a name of some wild plants), they might fail to produce the correct genitive alven, saying alvin or even alpin. Such words may be in the process of moving to the other inflection type, and the changes have even been approved by language authorities to some extent.

Some proper names are inflected in two ways, e.g. Närhi : Närhen ∼ Närhin, due to dialect differences. This is accepted, but the cor­re­spond­ing common noun närhi (jay) has only one accepted inflection in standard language, närhi : närhen.

Confusion has been caused by intentional use of wrong inflection. For example, the word viini : viinin : viiniä (wine) was mixed with the rare word viini : viinen : viintä (quiver). It surely sounded funny when someone first said Haluaisitko viintä? instead of the correct Haluaisitko viiniä? (Would you like to have some wine?). Later, many people started to think that viintä is the correct form, or at least were not any more sure what the correct form is.

Mixed inflection has now been accepted for the word vuori (lining of a cloth). The old inflection is vuori : vuorin : vuoria. Now an accepted alternative is vuori : vuoren : vuorta, making the word coincide with another word of different origin, meaning “mountain”.

Nouns with -si : -te- : -de- : -t- : -s- variation

Words that end with si preceded by a vowel, such as vesi (water) and käsi (hand; arm) have the following variation in the stem:

• Most forms in singular have -te- or -de-, depending on consonant gradation, e.g. genitive vede|n, illative vete|en.
• Partitive singular has -t- in the stem and the tA suffix, e.g. vet|tä. This stem also appears in alternative genitive plural forms such as vet|ten, but the common form genetive plural is ves|i|en.
• Plural forms (except nominative) have a stem with -s-, e.g. ves|i|ssä (where i is the plural suffix).

This inflection does not apply to new loanwords, which follow the pattern for words ending with i without stem alteration in singular, e.g. loosi : loosin : loosissa : looseissa (booth; lodge).

Common words like vesi and käsi are mastered well by native speakers, but for less common words, mistakes may be made. For example, heisi is a relatively rare name for a class of plants and has the old inflection, e.g. plural heidet, but people may inflect it as if it were a foreign word, e.g. plural heisit.

Nouns ending with short e

There are two different types of words that end with a short e in the dictionary form. In the more common type, the dictionary form has a short e, but most other forms have a long ee, e.g. herne : hernee|n : hernee|llä, except for the partitive singular, which has et in the stem and the tA as the suffix, e.g. hernet|tä. These words have boundary gemination in the dictionary form.

The other type has an invariable stem, e.g. nalle : nalle|n : nalle|lla (teddy bear) and (with consonant gradation) nukke : nuke|n : nuke|lla (doll). In addition to a few words like the examples, this type includes new loanwords, e.g. beige, and many common first names, e.g. Anne and Ville.

The dictionary forms of some loanwords end with a long ee, with regular inflection for such words, e.g. filee : fileen : fileetä (filet) and pyree : pyreen : pyreetä (purée). However, they are very often written and spoken as adapted to the model of words like herne, i.e. file : fileen : filettä and pyre : pyreen : pyrettä. This has now been accepted into the standard language, as an alternative.

The loanword siitake (shiitake) is usually treated as belonging to the herne type (siitakkeen : siitaketta), though with no boundary gemination. The alternative inflection siitake : siitaken : siitakea is also allowed (and favored by some), but less common.

Nouns ending with a consonant

All words that end with a consonant in the nominative singular form have an inflection stem different from that form. If the nominative singular were not established as the dictionary form, these words would best be described by presenting their inflection stems, such as ihmise-, as primary and the nominative singular as an exceptional form.

The changes involved vary considerably:

• -l : -le-, e.g. askel : askele|n : askel|ta : askel|i|lla (step). Words of this type may have alternative forms ending with -le^x in the nominative, e.g. askele^x : askelee|lla : askele|i|lla. The two paradigms are often mixed with each other.
• -n : -ne-, e.g. kämmen : kämmene|n : kämmen|tä : kämmen|i|llä (palm).
• -n : -me- : -m-, e.g. avain : avaime|n : avaim|i|lla. Most words in this class have the in ending, which is often a derivational suffix. There are also a few words ending with An, e.g. hapan : happamen (sour) and sydän : sydämen (heart). The latter word has the m doubled in pronunciation (sydämmen), but this exceptional feature is not expressed in standard writing.
• -n : -mA-: -m-, e.g. työtön : työttömä|n : työtön|tä : työttöm|i|llä (unemployed). Words of this type are mostly adjectives (with inflection like nouns), though some of them are used as nouns, too. In addition to -tOn derivations, this type includes the word lämmin : lämpimän (warm) and the alternative inflection hapan : happaman (∼ happamen).
• -nen : -se- : -s-, e.g. ihminen : ihmise|n : ihmis|tä : ihmis|i|llä. The short stem like ihmis- appears in plural forms (except nominative), in partitive singular, and in the more common variant of the genitive plural, e.g. ihmis|ten. The other variant of the genitive plural is ihmis|i|en.
• -r : -re-, e.g. sisar : sisare|n : sisar|ta : sisar|i|lla (sister).
• -s : -kse- : -ks-, e.g. tulos : tulokse|n : tulos|ta : tuloks|i|lla (result).
• -s : -*- : –, e.g. valas : valaa|n : valas|ta : vala|i|lla (whale). Here, as in this book in general, the asterisk “*” indicates that the preceding vowel is repeated in writing, prolonged in pronunciation.
• -s : -de- : -te : -t- : -ks-, e.g. vapaus : vapaude|n : vapaute|en : vapaut|ta : vapauks|i|lla (freedom).
• -s : -he- : -h- in the word mies : miehe|n : mieh|i|llä (man, male person)
• -t : -*- : – in the word kevät : kevää|n : kevä|i|llä (spring)
• -uT : -Ue- : -U-, e.g. olut : olue|n : olut|ta : olu|i|ssa (beer). This inflection is rather often confused with the inflection of words ending with ue^x, e.g. alue^x : alueen : aluetta : alueissa.
• -uT : -ee- : -e-, e.g. oppinut : oppinee|n : oppinut|ta : oppine|i|ssa (beer). Words of this type are mostly participles (with inflection like nouns), though some of them are used as nouns, too.
• other: Words ending with other consonants are inflected like foreign names, with i used as a binding vowel and the resulting stem inflected like filmi : filmin. Example: stadion : stadioni|n : stadioni|a : stadioni|lla : stadione|i|lla. If the final consonant is a voiceless stop, it usually participates in consonant gradation in pronunciation but not in standard spelling, eg. pop : popin : popia [poppia].

The inflection of words ending with s in the dictionary form needs to be learned separately. This can be said so that you primarily need to learn the inflection stem, like tulokse- or valaa- or vapaude-; the nominative singular can usually inferred from that stem, but not vice versa.

New loanwords and foreign names are usually inflected according to the principle described above for “other”, even if they end with l, n, r, s, or t. Thus, for example the city name Lagos is inflected Lagosin : Lagosissa etc. In contrast, old loanwords, including well-established proper names, have usually been adapted to Finnish inflection patterns, e.g. Kypros : Kyproksessa, Akropolis : Akropoliilla.