joku / jokin

Someone and Something

Level 2

joku = someone (person)
jokin = something (thing/animal)

How It Works

In standard Finnish, the choice between these two pronouns depends on animacy:

  • joku: Used for people. Example: Joku soitti. (Someone called.)
  • jokin: Used for things, animals, or ideas. Example: Jokin liikkuu tuolla. (Something is moving over there.)

Plural Forms:
The plural of joku is jotkut (some people), and the plural of jokin is jotkin (some things). In casual speech, jotkut is often used for both.

Declension Nuances:
These pronouns are unique because they decline in different ways.
1. joku is a 'double-inflecting' pronoun. In most cases, both the prefix (jo-) and the suffix (-ku) change. For example, the genitive is jonkun and the partitive is jotakuta.
2. jokin only inflects the prefix (jo-), while the suffix (-kin) remains fixed. The genitive is jonkin and the partitive is jotakin (often shortened to jotain).

Spoken Language (Puhekieli):
In spoken Finnish, the distinction is often blurred. Speakers frequently use joku to refer to things (e.g., Ota joku kirja - 'Take some book'). While jotain is very common, it almost always refers to things; when referring to people in speech, speakers use jotain as a modifier (e.g., jotain tyyppiä) or use forms like jollain or joltain as standalone replacements. Additionally, joku is commonly used before numbers to mean 'approximately' (e.g., joku viisi minuuttia).

Examples (6)

  1. Joku koputtaa ovelle.

    Someone is knocking on the door.

    Word by Word: Someone knocks on-the-door.

    Here 'joku' refers to a person whose identity is unknown.

  2. Jokin haisee pahalta.

    Something smells bad.

    Word by Word: Something smells bad-from.

    'Jokin' is used because the source of the smell is a thing or phenomenon, not a person.

  3. Löysin jonkun lompakon.

    I found someone's wallet.

    Word by Word: I-found someone's wallet.

    This uses the genitive form 'jonkun'. Note how both parts of 'joku' have changed (jo-n-ku-n).

  4. Haluatko jotain juotavaa?

    Do you want something to drink?

    Word by Word: Want-you something drinkable?

    'Jotain' is the common short form of the partitive 'jotakin'.

  5. Jotkut ihmiset eivät pidä talvesta.

    Some people don't like winter.

    Word by Word: Some people not like winter-from.

    'Jotkut' is the plural form of 'joku', used here for people.

  6. Se maksaa joku kymmenen euroa.

    It costs about ten euros.

    Word by Word: It costs some ten euros.

    In casual speech, 'joku' is often used to mean 'approximately' or 'about'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'jokin' for a person.

    Jokin odottaa sinua ulkona.
    Joku odottaa sinua ulkona.

    Using 'jokin' for a person sounds like an object or a monster is waiting for them. Use 'joku' for humans.

  • Incorrectly declining 'joku' as 'jokun'.

    Tämä on jokun kirja.
    Tämä on jonkun kirja.

    Joku inflects in both parts. In the genitive, jo- becomes jon- and -ku becomes -kun, so you get jonkun.

  • Using 'joku' in a negative sentence.

    En nähnyt jotakuta.
    En nähnyt ketään.

    In a plain negative sentence, joku and jokin are normally replaced by their negative counterparts kukaan (nobody) and mikään (nothing).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

joku / jokinLevel 2Someone and Something

Learn This First

To understand 'joku' and 'jokin', you need to be familiar with the basic interrogative pronouns 'kuka' (who) and 'mikä' (what), as these indefinite pronouns follow similar usage patterns. Additionally, you must understand that Finnish distinguishes between persons and things/animals rather than using grammatical gender.

Words in This Pattern

jokujokin