Objects After the Passive

Level 3

In a Finnish passive, a singular total noun object has the basic nominative form: auto korjataan. A personal pronoun instead retains its accusative form, such as hänet.

How It Works

In active Finnish sentences, a total object (indicating a completed action or a whole thing) usually takes the genitive ending -n. For example: Minä ostan auton ('I buy a car').

However, the Finnish passive voice is impersonal, meaning it has no grammatical subject. In this passive construction, a total noun object uses the nominative case (the basic form).

Key Rules:

  • Singular Total Objects: Drop the -n. (Auto ostetaan - The car is bought).
  • Plural Total Objects: Use the nominative plural (-t). (Autot ostetaan - The cars are bought).
  • Partial Objects: If the action is ongoing or the amount is indefinite, the object stays in the partitive case. (Vettä juodaan - Water is being drunk).
  • Personal Pronouns: Unlike nouns, personal pronouns (minut, sinut, hänet, etc.) keep their accusative -t ending in passive sentences. (Hänet valittiin - He/she was elected).

Negation and Agreement
Ordinary passive negation requires the partitive object: Autoa ei korjata. A plural object does not make the passive verb agree: Autot korjataan. This differs from a passive-participle adjective describing the resulting state, where ordinary subject agreement may occur. The phrase “no subject” refers to this grammatical construction, not simply to whether a pronoun was omitted in speech.

Further Connections

Examples (5)

  1. Kirja luetaan loppuun.

    The book is read to the end.

    Word by Word: Book is-read to-end.

    In an active sentence, it would be 'Luen kirjan' (genitive). In the passive, the -n is dropped, and 'kirja' is in the nominative.

  2. Ovi avataan kello kahdeksan.

    The door is opened at eight o'clock.

    Word by Word: Door is-opened clock eight.

    The object 'ovi' (door) is in the nominative because the verb 'avataan' is passive.

  3. Televisiota katsotaan illalla.

    The television is watched in the evening.

    Word by Word: Television (partitive) is-watched evening-at.

    Because watching TV is an ongoing process, the object remains in the partitive case (televisiota), just like in an active sentence.

  4. Hänet kutsuttiin juhliin.

    He/she was invited to the party.

    Word by Word: Him/her was-invited to-party.

    Personal pronouns are an exception; they retain their special accusative ending (-t) even in passive sentences.

  5. Kukat kastellaan aamulla.

    The flowers are watered in the morning.

    Word by Word: Flowers (plural) are-watered morning-at.

    Plural total objects use the nominative plural (-t) in passive constructions.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the genitive -n ending for a total object in a passive sentence.

    Auto<b>n</b> korjataan.
    Auto korjataan.

    Learners often carry over the -n ending from active sentences (e.g., 'Mies korjaa auton'). In the passive, the object must be in the nominative (auto).

  • Using the nominative for personal pronouns in the passive.

    Hän kutsuttiin.
    Hänet kutsuttiin.

    While nouns drop their endings, personal pronouns like 'hän' must use the accusative form 'hänet' in passive sentences.

How It Connects

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Objects After the PassiveLevel 3

Learn This First

In Finnish, the passive voice is 'subjectless,' which fundamentally changes how objects are marked. To understand this, you need to know how to form the passive itself and be familiar with the standard rules for total objects (which usually take the genitive -n ending). The passive follows the same special rule as necessive structures (like 'täytyy'), where the object stays in the nominative case because there is no grammatical subject to compete with.

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