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Finnish

In Finnish, you can turn many adjectives (and sometimes nouns) into abstract concepts by adding the suffix *-uus* or *-yys*. This is the Finnish equivalent of English endings like "-ness", "-ity", or "-hood".

Vowel harmony determines which suffix to use: words with back vowels (*a, o, u*) take *-uus*, while words with front vowels (*ä, ö, y*) or only neutral vowels (*e, i*) take *-yys*.

### Abstract Nouns in the Nominative Case

In their basic form, these nouns function exactly like any other noun and can be the subject of a sentence.

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### The Partitive Form

Because these nouns represent uncountable, abstract concepts, you will very often use them in the partitive case. This is especially common when they act as the object of verbs like *etsiä* (to search for), *arvostaa* (to appreciate), or *pelätä* (to fear).

To form the partitive, add *-ta* or *-tä* directly to the nominative form. The ending becomes **-uutta** or **-yyttä**.

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### Stem Changes in Other Cases

When you need to add other case endings—such as the genitive (*-n*) or the elative (*-sta* / *-stä*)—the base form changes. The final *-s* of the *-uus* or *-yys* suffix becomes **-de-**.

For example, *-uus* becomes the stem **-uude-**, and *-yys* becomes **-yyde-**.

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Here, *pahuus* becomes *pahuuden* (the genitive object) because the action of defeating is fully completed.

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In the last two examples, the verbs *pitää* (to like) and *keskustella* (to discuss) require the elative case. *Rohkeus* turns into *rohkeudesta*, and *varmuus* becomes *varmuudesta*.

Abstract nouns (-uus/-yys)

adjective

adposition

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

postposition

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstrative pronouns (tämä, tuo, se)

Singular personal pronouns (minä, sinä, hän)

Plural personal pronouns (me, te, he)

Plural demonstratives (nämä, nuo, ne)

Coordinating conjunctions (ja, mutta, tai)

Yes/no questions (-ko / -kö)

Basic question words (kuka, mikä, missä)

Negation of to be (en ole, ei ole)

The inessive case (-ssa / -ssä)

Double consonant gradation (kk, pp, tt)

Consonant gradation (-ssa/-ssä)

Verb Type 1 (puhun, puhut, puhuu)

Verb Type 1 with consonant gradation

Negative verbs (en puhu, et lue)

External location (-lla/-llä)

There is / there are (kaupungissa on)

Possession (minulla on)

Numbers 1 to 10 (yksi, kaksi, kolme)

The partitive singular (-a/-ä, -ta/-tä)

Quantities with numbers (kaksi autoa)

Negative possession (ei ole)

Numbers 11 to 100 and 1000

Partitive verbs

Partitive personal pronouns (minua, sinua)

Verb Type 2 (-da/-dä)

Partitive for mass nouns (-a/-ä, -ta/-tä)

Partitive for negative objects

Adjective agreement

Verb Type 3

The elative case (-sta/-stä)

Negative possession (minulla ei ole…)

The illative case (-Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Numbers 21 to 99

Static vs. movement verbs

Verb Type 4 (-Vta / -Vtä)

Verb Type 5 (-ita / -itä)

Genitive singular for possession (-n)

Total object (-n)

Accusative personal pronouns (-t)

Obligation (täytyy)

Into places (-Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Postpositions with the genitive

My and your (-ni, -si)

Onto and to someone (-lle)

From someone or somewhere (-lta, -ltä)

Telling time (kello on...)

Months of the year (-ssa, -ssä)

Days of the week (-na, -nä)

When and why (milloin, miksi)

The illative case (mihin, -Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Past tense of to be (olin, olit, oli)

The seasons (kevät, kesä, syksy, talvi)

The imperative mood (lue!, syö!, mene!)

The past tense of to be (olin, oli)

The illative case (-hVn, -seen)

Greetings and goodbyes (hei, näkemiin)

Thank you and sorry (kiitos, anteeksi)

Liking things (pitää / tykätä + -sta/-stä)

Temporary states and roles (-na/-nä)

Change of state (-ksi)

Ongoing actions (-massa/-mässä)

Going to do an action (-maan/-mään)

Returning from an action (-masta/-mästä)

Third-person possessives (-nsa/-nsä or -Vn)

Plural possessives (-mme, -nne)

Indefinite pronouns (joku, jokin, kaikki)

Negative indefinite pronouns (ei kukaan, ei mikään)

Commands for verb types 4 and 5

Adverb formation (-sti)

Past tense for verb type 1 (-i-)

Past tense vowel changes for verb type 1 (-o- / -i-)

Past tense for verb type 2 (-i-)

Past tense for verb type 3 (-i-)

Past tense for verb type 4 (-si-)

Past tense for verb type 5 (-itsi-)

Past tense consonant gradation

Past participles for verb types 1 and 2 (-nut / -nyt)

Past participle singular for verb types 3-5 (-nnut, -llut)

Active past participle plural (-neet)

Past tense negative (en mennyt, emme olleet)

The perfect tense (olen ollut)

The perfect tense negative (en ole nähnyt)

Total plural objects (-t)

Partitive plural (-ia / -iä)

Partitive plural (-ja / -jä)

Question	Answer
the honesty	rehellisyys
the evil	pahuus
Honesty is better than evil.	Rehellisyys on parempaa kuin pahuus.
We did not understand the truth.	Me emme ymmärtäneet totuutta.
the freedom	vapaus
Freedom is a really important thing.	Vapaus on todella tärkeä asia.
the old age	vanhuus
He did not fear old age.	Hän ei pelännyt vanhuutta.
the wisdom	viisaus
the beauty	kauneus
Is wisdom better than beauty?	Onko viisaus parempaa kuin kauneus?
the happiness	onnellisuus
Everyone searches for happiness.	Kaikki etsivät onnellisuutta.
the youth	nuoruus
Youth is a wonderful time.	Nuoruus on ihanaa aikaa.
He did not appreciate youth.	Hän ei arvostanut nuoruutta.
the goodness	hyvyys
Do you believe in goodness?	Uskotko hyvyyteen?
Goodness always defeats evil.	Hyvyys voittaa aina pahuuden.
I appreciate honesty.	Minä arvostan rehellisyyttä.
Do not forget the truth!	Älä unohda totuutta!
Do not fear freedom!	Älä pelkää vapautta!
Happiness is better than money.	Onnellisuus on parempaa kuin raha.
Old age often brings wisdom.	Vanhuus tuo usein viisautta.
Beauty disappears, but wisdom stays.	Kauneus katoaa, mutta viisaus pysyy.
They did not find happiness.	He eivät löytäneet onnellisuutta.
certainty	varmuus
Certainty feels safe.	Varmuus tuntuu turvalliselta.
We discussed certainty yesterday.	Me keskustelimme eilen varmuudesta.
courage	rohkeus
Courage is an important, but difficult thing.	Rohkeus on tärkeä, mutta vaikea asia.
I like courage.	Minä pidän rohkeudesta.
shyness	ujous
Shyness is not a problem.	Ujous ei ole ongelma.
He discussed shyness with the teacher.	Hän keskusteli ujoudesta opettajan kanssa.