The translative ending is -ksi, which is added to the inflectional stem in the
singular and plural and causes consonant gradation (the ending begins with
two consonants). The translative generally expresses a state, property,
function or position into which something or someone enters, or the end point
of a movement or change.
Basic Translative Translative
form singular plural
auto auto/ksi to (become) a car auto/i/ksi
pieni piene/ksi to (become) little pien/i/ksi
lahja lahja/ksi to (become) a present, lahjo/i/ksi
as a present
rengas renkaa/ksi to (become) a ring renka/i/ksi
Lauri tuli iloise/ksi. Lauri became pleased.
Isä on tullut vanha/ksi. Father has become old.
Tuletko kipeä/ksi? Are you becoming ill?
Tyttö aikoo insinööri/ksi. The girl intends to become an engineer.
Pekka antoi kirjan lahja/ksi. Pekka gave the book as a present.
Juotko lasin tyhjä/ksi?
Will you empty your glass (‘drink your glass empty’)?
Poikasi on kasvanut pitkä/ksi.
Your son has grown tall.
Jalat käyvät kanke/i/ksi.
(One’s) legs go stiff.
Kirjoitan kirjan valmii/ksi.
I shall finish writing the book (‘write the book finished’).
Olot muuttuivat normaale/i/ksi.
The conditions became normal.
Pääsetkö opettaja/ksi Helsinkiin?
Will you be able to become a teacher in Helsinki?
Tämä riittää perustelu/ksi.
This suffices as an explanation.
Auli luuli minua norjalaise/ksi.
Auli thought me a Norwegian.
126 Finnish: An Essential Grammar
Turkua sanotaan vanha/ksi kaupungi/ksi.
Turku is said to be an old city.
Vennamoa ei saa kutsua idiooti/ksi.
Vennamo must not be called an idiot.
Opettaja puhuu suome/ksi. The teacher speaks in Finnish.
Kaikki esitelmät ovat ruotsi/ksi. All the lectures are in Swedish.
Mitä ‘auto’ on englanni/ksi? What is ‘auto’ in English?
Tule vähän lähemmä/ksi! Come a bit closer!
Siirtykää hiukan kauemma/ksi! Move a little further away!
Nouse ylemmä/ksi! Get up higher!
The translative also expresses time, in particular time by which something
happens or during which something happens, or the point of time until which
something is postponed.
Tulen kotiin joulu/ksi.
I’ll come home for Christmas.
onko meillä ohjelmaa iltapäivä/ksi?
Do we have a programme for the afternoon?
Minun täytyy ehtiä kotiin kello kelme/ksi.
I must get home by three.
Pekka lähtee Espanjaan viiko/ksi.
Pekka is going to Spain for a week.
Poistun kahde/ksi tunni/ksi.
I shall be away for two hours.
Ostatko ruokaa sunnuntai/ksi?
Will you buy some food for Sunday?
Lykkäämme kokouksen huomise/ksi.
We shall postpone the meeting until tomorrow.
Maksu siirtyy myöhemmä/ksi.
The payment is transferred to a later date (‘to later’).
Note the contrast between the essive and the translative in pairs such as the
following.
Tulen kotiin joulu/ksi. I’ll come home for Christmas.
Joulu/na olen kotona. At Christmas I am/shall be at home.
Ostatko ruokaa sunnuntai/ksi? Will you buy some food for Sunday?
Sunnuntai/na emme mene On Sunday we do not go to church.
kirkkoon.
Other cases 127
Kesä/ksi lähden Suomeen. I am going to Finland for the summer.
Kesä/llä olen Suomessa. In the summer I shall be in Finland.
When the translative ending is followed by a possessive suffix the final -i
changes to -e-.
Tuletko vaimo/kse/ni? Will you become my wife?
Laulan oma/ksi ilo/kse/ni. I sing for my own pleasure.
Juomme maljan sinun kunnia/kse/si.
We drink a toast in (‘to’) your honour.
He ottavat lapsen oma/kse/en.
They adopt (‘take’) the child as their own.
