Place Endings in the Plural

Level 2

Plural local cases tell us where multiple things are, where they are coming from, or where they are going. They use the plural marker -i- before the case ending.

How It Works

Finnish local cases are divided into two groups: Inner (in/out) and Outer (on/off). In the plural, these function just like the singular but refer to multiple objects.

1. The Plural Marker -i-
The plural marker is inserted between the stem and the case ending. This -i- causes specific vowel changes:

  • o, ö, u, y: The plural -i- is simply added to the end to form a diphthong (talo → taloissa, katu → kaduissa).
  • a: In two-syllable words, if the first syllable contains a, e, or i, the final 'a' changes to 'o' (kala → kaloissa). If the first syllable contains o or u, the final 'a' drops (koira → koirissa).
  • ä: In two-syllable words, 'ä' always drops before the plural 'i' (metsä → metsissä).
  • Note on longer words: Words with 3 or more syllables ending in -a/-ä follow specific rules (often taught as the 'kulkija vs. opettaja' rule) dictating whether the final vowel drops or changes to o/ö.
  • e: The huone-type e-words have a singular stem ending in -ee- and a plural stem ending in -ei- (huone → huoneissa).
  • i: Changes to 'e' in new loanwords (pankki → pankeissa). Many old words ending in -i have a singular stem ending in -e- (kive-), which drops before the plural -i- (kivi → kivissä).
  • Long vowels and diphthongs: For long vowels, one vowel drops to shorten it (maa → maissa). For opening diphthongs (ie, uo, yö), the first vowel drops (suo → soissa).

2. Consonant Gradation
Ordinary direct-gradation words use the weak grade in all plural local cases except the illative (e.g., katu → kaduilla, but illative katuihin). Inverse-gradation words, including many consonant-ending and huone-type e-words, use the strong grade in all local cases (e.g., osoite → osoitteissa).

3. The Illative Plural Endings
The illative plural has three main forms:

  • -iin: Used when the plural stem ends in a single vowel. The ending is technically '-in' added to the plural stem (kivi- + -in = kiviin).
  • -hin: Used after many diphthong-ending plural stems: taloi- + -hin → taloihin. The i belongs to the plural stem.
  • -siin: Common in types with singular -seen: huone → huoneisiin, rikas → rikkaisiin, kaunis → kauniisiin. Some types allow parallel -hin forms, such as huoneihin; learn the accepted alternatives with the word. Other examples are pimeä → pimeisiin and kevyt → kevyisiin. Do not missegment naisiin: it is naisi- + -in, with s already in the plural stem, and singular naiseen is naise- + -en.

4. Cultural Nuance
Finnish uses the plural for certain singular events in English, such as häissä (at a wedding) or hautajaisissa (at a funeral).

All six endings: Inner cases: taloissa (-ssa/-ssä), taloista (-sta/-stä), taloihin (illative). Outer cases: pöydillä (-lla/-llä), pöydiltä (-lta/-ltä), pöydille (-lle).
Old si-words: Compare vesi : vete- : vesissä, käsi : käte- : käsissä, and uusi : uute- : uusissa. The t of the singular strong stem corresponds to s before plural i; these are not explained by dropping e alone.

Examples (5)

  1. Lapset leikkivät puistoissa.

    The children play in the parks.

    Word by Word: Children play parks-in.

    Uses the inessive plural (-i-ssa). The 'o' comes from the word 'puisto'.

  2. Matkustamme usein ulkomaille.

    We often travel to foreign countries.

    Word by Word: We travel often foreign-lands-to.

    Uses the allative plural (-i-lle). 'Maa' becomes 'mai-' in the plural stem.

  3. Hän asuu tuntureilla.

    He lives on the fells.

    Word by Word: He lives fells-on.

    Uses the adessive plural (-i-lla). The final vowel changes in the plural stem (tunturi → tunturei-).

  4. Menemme häihin lauantaina.

    We are going to a wedding on Saturday.

    Word by Word: We go weddings-into Saturday-on.

    Finnish uses the plural 'häät' for a single wedding. This is the illative plural (-i-hin).

  5. Linnut lentävät pois katoilta.

    The birds fly away from the roofs.

    Word by Word: Birds fly away roofs-off-of.

    Uses the ablative plural (-i-lta). Note the weak grade 't' (singular 'katto' becomes 'kato-').

Common Mistakes

  • Using the weak grade for the illative plural.

    Tutustumme uusiin kaduihin.
    Tutustumme uusiin katuihin.

    In ordinary direct gradation, the plural illative uses the strong grade: katu→katuihin. Tutustua takes the illative; ordinary movement onto streets would use kaduille.

  • Forgetting the plural -i- marker.

    Olen talossa (when meaning multiple houses).
    Olen taloissa.

    Without the -i-, the word remains singular. 'Talossa' is 'in the house', while 'taloissa' is 'in the houses'.

  • Choosing the wrong illative plural ending.

    talo-i-in
    talo-i-hin

    The talo type uses plural stem taloi- + -hin: taloihin. Other word types can have different or parallel endings, so the diphthong alone is not a universal classifier.

How It Connects

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Place Endings in the PluralLevel 2

Learn This First

To form plural local cases, you need to combine your knowledge of the six local case endings (inessive, elative, illative, adessive, ablative, and allative) with the plural -i- stem. Understanding how the stem changes when the plural marker -i- is added, as well as how consonant gradation affects these forms, is necessary for correct production.

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