Contrasting with "toinen ... toinen"
When contrasting two items, people, or options, Finnish uses the pair toinen ... toinen to mean "one ... the other".
- Toinen literally means "second" or "other".
- When repeated, it frames a clear contrast between a specific pair of things.
| One twin is shy and the other is talkative, even though they are similar. | Toinen kaksonen on ujo ja toinen on puhelias, vaikka he ovat samanlaiset. |
| I have two stones: one is smooth and round, the other is angular. | Minulla on kaksi kiveä: toinen on sileä ja pyöreä, toinen on kulmikas. |
Inflecting the Pronouns
Like other pronouns and adjectives, toinen takes the case ending required by its role in the sentence. The two instances don't have to be in the same case—each takes the ending that fits its specific grammatical role:
- toisen (Genitive: of one / of the other)
- toisessa (Inessive: in one / in the other)
- toisesta (Elative: from or about one / from or about the other)
| Isn't the shape of one box different from the other? | Onhan toisen laatikon muoto erilainen kuin toisen? |
| One shirt has a fine pattern, but the other is completely smooth. | Toisessa paidassa on hieno kuvio, mutta toinen on täysin sileä. |
| I like one shape more, because the other is too angular. | Pidän enemmän toisesta muodosta, koska toinen on liian kulmikas. |
Discussing Similarities and Differences
When contrasting things, you will often need adjectives like samanlainen (similar) and erilainen (different) to draw comparisons.
| These boys are twins, but they have a completely different character. | Nämä pojat ovat kaksoset, mutta heillä on täysin erilainen luonne. |
| The twins have a similar appearance, but a different character. | Kaksosilla on samanlainen ulkonäkö, mutta erilainen luonne. |
Spoken Finnish Shortcuts
In casual Finnish, common words are often shortened (for instance, minulla becomes mulla, and kaksi becomes kaks). The toinen ... toinen structure works exactly the same way.
| I have two cats: one is black and the other is white. | Mulla on kaks kissaa: toinen on musta ja toinen on valkoinen. |
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