【芬兰语语法】§40 GENERAL

 Six of the 15 Finnish cases form a sub-system of their own since their basic

function is the expression of place and direction. This important set of local

cases consists of the inessive -ssa ~ -ssä, the elative -sta ~ -stä, the illative -

Vn ~ -hVn ~ -seen ~ -siin (wher V stands for any vowel), the adessive -lla ~

-llä, the ablative -ltä ~ -ltä and the allative -lle.

The system of local cases is structured according to two dimensions. One

is location: ‘inside’ (or in immediate contact with) vs. ‘outside’. And the

other is direction: ‘static’, ‘movement towards’ and ‘movement away from’.

The six cases can be set out as follows; the table includes only one variant for

each case ending.

Location

Inside Outside

Static -ssa -lla

Direction Away from -sta -lta

Towards -Vn -lle

The use of the local cases is illustrated in the house diagram below; x

indicates ‘static’ location.

It must be remembered that the local cases also have many other meanings

apart from place and direction. Some may express for example time, reason,

instrument or manner.

108 Finnish: An Essential Grammar