In nominals like taivas ‘heaven’ the -s of the basic form alternates with a
vowel identical with the preceding vowel.
In ajatus nominals -s changes to -kse- in the inflectional stem; the
partitive singular is formed directly from the basic form.
In taivas nominals -s changes in the inflectional stem to a vowel
identical with the preceding vowel; the partitive singular is formed
directly from the basic form.
52 Finnish: An Essential Grammar
Inflectional stem followed by:
Basic Partitive Case Plural Possessive
form singular (except suffix
part. sing.)
taivas heaven taivas/ta taivaa/n taiva/i/ssa taivaa/ni
valmis ready valmis/ta valmii/n valmi/i/ssa –
+rikas rich +rikas/ta rikkaa/n rikka/i/ssa –
oppilas pupil oppilas/ta oppilaa/n oppila/i/ssa oppilaa/ni
+tehdas factory +tehdas/ta tehtaa/n tehta/i/ssa tehtaa/ni
+porras step +porras/ta portaa/n porta/i/ssa portaa/ni
+kirkas bright +kirkas/ta kirkkaa/n kirkka/i/ssa –
Strong grade Weak grade
tehtaa/n of the factory +tehdas factory
tehtaa/t factories (nom. sing.)
tehtaa/ssa in the factory +tehdas/ta factory
tehta/i/ssa in the factories (part. sing.)
tehtaa/sta out of the factory
tehta/i/sta out of the factories
tehtaa/mme our factory
tehtaa/nne your factory
