Besides the case and personal endings dealt with above there are also certain
other (derivational) endings which cause consonant gradation, in particular
the ending -sti on adjectives (which forms adverbs from them), the
comparative ending -mpi (§85), and the superlative ending -in (§86). Note
also the semantically negative derivational ending -ton ~ -tön: koti ‘home’ :
kodi/ton ‘homeless’; palkka ‘salary’ : palka/ton ‘unsalaried’. (Cf. §93 for
more examples of derivational endings that trigger consonant gradation.)
Basic form Adverbs Comparative Superlative
kiltti kilti/sti kilti/mpi kilte/in
nice nicely nicer nicest
tarkka tarka/sti tarke/mpi tark/in
accurate accurately more accurate most accurate
helppo helpo/sti helpo/mpi helpo/in
easy easily easier easiest
38 Finnish: An Essential Grammar
The derivational endings undergo consonant gradation themselves when they
are inflected, for example the comparative -mpi: helpo/mma/ssa ‘in the
easier (one)’.
The stop consonants p, t, k do not undergo consonant gradation when
they occur next to s or t. The consonant k in the combination hk alternates
occasionally.
sk tasku pocket taskusta out of the pocket
sp piispa bishop piispat bishops
st piste point pisteet points
tk matka journey matkalla on the journey
hk keuhko lung keuhkot lungs
vihki- marry vihkitte you marry
Note: vihko notebook vihot notebooks
Note: nahka leather nahasta out of leather
Many loan words and proper names do not have consonant gradation. This is
particularly true of alternation types (4)–(16).
auto car autolla by car
Malta Malta Maltan of Malta
Kauko (masc. name) Kaukolle to Kauko
Arto (masc. name) Artolta from Arto
