Verbs That Take -lta

Level 3

In Finnish, certain verb constructions use the ablative case (-lta/-ltä). This happens most often when describing sensory impressions (looks, sounds, tastes) or when receiving something from a person.

How It Works

Verbs governing the ablative fall into several main categories:

1. Sensory Perception Verbs (Aistiverbit)
These verbs describe how something is perceived. The adjective describing the quality is typically in the ablative case, though the allative case (-lle) is also fully accepted in standard written Finnish (yleiskieli):

  • Näyttää (to look/seem): Se näyttää hyvältä. (It looks good.)
  • Kuulostaa (to sound): Se kuulostaa oudolta. (It sounds strange.)
  • Tuoksua/Haista (to smell): Tämä tuoksuu hyvältä. (This smells good.)
  • Maistua (to taste): Ruoka maistuu suolaiselta. (The food tastes salty.)
  • Tuntua (to feel): Tämä tuntuu pehmeältä. (This feels soft.)

2. Source Verbs (People as Sources)
When you receive or borrow something from a person, Finnish uses the ablative. People are treated as 'exterior' surfaces in the local case system.

  • Kysyä (to ask): Kysyn opettajalta. (I ask [from] the teacher.)
  • Saada (to get/receive): Sain lahjan ystävältä. (I got a gift from a friend.)
  • Lainata (to borrow): Lainasin kirjan Pekalta. (I borrowed a book from Pekka.)

3. Verbs of Buying and Requesting
When buying or requesting something from someone, the person is in the ablative.

  • Ostaa (to buy): Ostan auton naapurilta. (I buy a car from the neighbor.)
  • Pyytää (to request): Pyydän apua ystävältä. (I ask a friend for help.)

4. Verbs of Prohibiting and Protecting
These verbs express shielding or separating someone from something.

  • Kieltää (to forbid): Lääkäri kielsi minulta sokerin. (The doctor forbade me from having sugar.)
  • Suojella (to protect): Suojelemme luontoa saasteilta. (We protect nature from pollution.)

5. Verbs of Taking Away and Depriving
When taking something from someone or from a surface, the source is in the ablative.

  • Ottaa (to take): Otin kirjan pöydältä. (I took the book from the table.)
  • Viedä (to take away): Hän vei minulta mahdollisuuden. (He took the opportunity away from me.)
  • Varastaa (to steal): Varas varasti rahat mieheltä. (The thief stole the money from the man.)

6. Verbs of Demanding and Expecting
When demanding or expecting something from someone, the person is in the ablative.

  • Vaatia (to demand): Vaadin sinulta selityksen. (I demand an explanation from you.)
  • Odottaa (to expect): Odotan sinulta paljon. (I expect a lot from you.)

7. Verbs of Hiding
When hiding something from someone, the person is in the ablative.

  • Piilottaa (to hide): Piilotin lahjan lapsilta. (I hid the gift from the children.)

8. Verbs of Receiving Information
When hearing or learning something from someone, the person is in the ablative.

  • Kuulla (to hear): Kuulin uutisen naapurilta. (I heard the news from the neighbor.)
  • Oppia (to learn): Opin tämän taidon isoisältä. (I learned this skill from my grandfather.)

9. Verbs of Finding and Searching
When finding or searching for something from a surface or a person, the ablative is used.

  • Löytää (to find): Löysin avaimet pöydältä. (I found the keys on the table.)
  • Etsiä (to search): Etsin lohtua ystävältä. (I sought comfort from a friend.)

Morphology Note: The effect on consonant gradation depends on the word type. For most basic nouns (Wordtype A), the ending -lta/-ltä triggers the weak grade (e.g., pöytä → pöydältä). However, for words with inverse gradation (Wordtype B), such as those ending in -e or -as, the ablative triggers the strong grade (e.g., osoite → osoitteelta, rakas → rakkaalta). Always remember to follow vowel harmony rules.

Nouns and Other Ablative Complements
A perception complement can be a noun: Hän näyttää opettajalta (He/she looks like a teacher). Saving and avoidance also use this case: Pelastimme talon tuholta (We saved the house from destruction), Säästyin vaivalta (I was spared the trouble), Vältyimme vahingolta (We avoided damage). Compare elative pelastaa vedestä for rescue out of a place.

A person from whom something is expected or hoped for can be ablative: Toivon sinulta apua (I hope for your help), Edellytämme hakijalta kokemusta (We require experience from the applicant). Keeping something secret from someone uses salata: Hän salasi asian minulta (He/she kept the matter secret from me). Learn the whole verb construction; the same verb may have other complements in another meaning.

Examples (5)

  1. Tämä idea kuulostaa mielenkiintoiselta.

    This idea sounds interesting.

    Word by Word: This idea sounds interesting-from.

    The adjective gives the perceived quality in the ablative, a standard choice with kuulostaa. An allative complement is also possible.

  2. Kysyin neuvoa lääkäriltä.

    I asked the doctor for advice.

    Word by Word: I-asked advice doctor-from.

    When asking a person, the person takes the -lta ending (source rection).

  3. Keitto maistuu todella hyvältä!

    The soup tastes really good!

    Word by Word: Soup tastes really good-from!

    The verb 'maistua' (to taste) triggers the ablative case on the adjective 'hyvä'.

  4. Sain kukkia mieheltäni.

    I got flowers from my husband.

    Word by Word: I-got flowers husband-from-my.

    The verb 'saada' (to get) uses the ablative to mark the person who provided the item.

  5. Uusi auto näyttää kalliilta.

    The new car looks expensive.

    Word by Word: New car looks expensive-from.

    Here näyttää takes an ablative adjective for the perceived quality; an allative form is also possible.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative case for sensory impressions.

    Se näyttää hyvä.
    Se näyttää hyvältä.

    In English, we say 'It looks good' (nominative), but in Finnish, you must use the ablative case (or allative) with perception verbs.

  • Using the elative (-sta) for people as sources.

    Kysyin äidistä.
    Kysyin äidiltä.

    'Kysyin äidistä' actually means 'I asked ABOUT mom.' To ask a person directly, you must use the ablative -lta.

  • Adding the verb 'olla' (to be) unnecessarily.

    Se on näyttää hyvältä.
    Se näyttää hyvältä.

    Perception verbs like 'näyttää' function as the main verb; you do not need to include 'on' (is) as you would in English.

How It Connects

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

Verbs That Take -ltaLevel 3

Learn This First

To understand verbs governing the ablative, a learner needs to be familiar with the ablative case itself and the general concept of Finnish verb government (rektion), where certain verbs dictate the case of their objects or complements.

Words in This Pattern

-lta-ltä