-i- (monikon tunnus)
Plural Stem (-i-)
In Finnish, while the nominative plural uses -t (e.g., talot), all other cases (like 'in', 'from', 'on') use the plural marker -i- inserted before the case ending.
How It Works
The plural stem is formed by taking the word's vowel stem and adding -i-. This is the foundation for plural local cases and the plural partitive.
Vowel Changes:
When the -i- is added, the stem's final vowel reacts in predictable ways:
- -o, -u, -y, -ö: No change (talo → taloissa).
- -e, -ä: The vowel drops (mäki [stem mäke-] → mäissä; kylä → kylissä).
- -i: Changes to -e- in new loanwords (lasi → laseissa) or drops in old native words (ovi [stem ove-] → ovissa).
- -a: This is the trickiest. In 2-syllable words, if the first syllable has a, e, or i, the -a becomes -o (kissa → kissoilla). If the first syllable has o or u, the -a drops (koira → koirilla).
- Long Vowels: They shorten (maa → maissa).
The -j- Variant:
If the plural -i- ends up between two vowels, it turns into a -j- (e.g., talo + i + a becomes taloja).
Consonant Gradation:
Adding the plural -i- often closes the syllable, which triggers consonant gradation to the weak grade (e.g., katu → kaduilla).
Examples (5)
- Asun vanhoissa taloissa.
I live in old houses.
Word by Word: I-live old-in houses-in.
The word 'talo' (house) keeps its 'o' before the plural -i- in the inessive case (-ssa).
- Kissoilla on pehmeä turkki.
Cats have soft fur.
Word by Word: Cats-on is soft fur.
In 'kissa', the final 'a' changes to 'o' because the first syllable contains 'i'.
- Koirilla on hauskaa.
Dogs are having fun.
Word by Word: Dogs-on is fun.
In 'koira', the final 'a' drops because the first syllable contains 'o'.
- Luen mielenkiintoisia kirjoja.
I am reading interesting books.
Word by Word: I-read interesting books.
The plural -i- becomes -j- here because it is between the stem vowel 'o' and the partitive ending 'a'.
- Käymme usein eri maissa.
We often visit different countries.
Word by Word: We-visit often different countries-in.
The long vowel in 'maa' (country) shortens to a single 'a' before the plural -i-.
Common Mistakes
Using the nominative plural -t with other case endings.
Asun talotssa.Asun taloissa.The -t ending is only for the nominative plural (subject). For all other cases, you must use the -i- marker.
Forgetting vowel changes for words ending in -a.
Työskentelen kirjaissa.Työskentelen kirjoissa.In the word 'kirja', the 'a' must change to 'o' before the plural -i- because the first syllable has an 'i'.
Forgetting consonant gradation.
Makaan katuilla.Makaan kaduilla.The plural marker often creates a closed syllable, requiring the weak grade (t -> d).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand the plural stem with -i-, you need to be familiar with the Finnish case system, as this stem is used for all cases except the nominative. You also need to understand how stems change through consonant gradation and vowel harmony when markers are added.
Related Patterns
- -t (monikon nominatiivi)Nominative Plural (-t)
The -t marker is the plural sign for the nominative case, whereas -i- is used for all other cases.
Level 1 - Place Endings in the Plural
The plural stem with -i- is the prerequisite for using any local case (like -ssa, -lla, -sta) in the plural.
Level 2 - -ja/-jä, -ita/-itäPlural Partitive
The plural partitive uses the same -i- (or -j-) marker and follows the same vowel change rules.
Level 2 - Consonant Gradation
Adding the plural -i- frequently triggers the weak grade of the word stem.
Level 1 - Noun Stems That Change
Understanding how different nouns form their vowel stems is essential for correctly attaching the plural -i-.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice -i- (monikon tunnus) in Bubblegum
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