Expressing roles in the plural
You already know that the essive case (-na / -nä) is used to describe a temporary state or role, often translating to "as a..." in English. When you are talking about multiple people—such as "as beginners" or "as managers"—you need the essive plural.
To form the essive plural, take the plural stem of the noun (which includes the plural marker -i- or -j-) and attach the essive ending -na or -nä.
| beginner | aloittelija |
| manager | päällikkö |
Crucially, the essive case always uses the strong consonant grade in both the singular and the plural. This means that strong consonants (like k, p, and t) do not weaken when you add the ending.
| We started as beginners, but now we are managers. | Aloitimme aloittelijoina, mutta nyt olemme päällikköinä. |
| We came here as alumni, so that we can network. | Tulimme tänne alumneina, jotta voimme verkostoitua. |
Stem changes with the plural marker
When building the essive plural, standard plural stem rules apply. For example, nouns ending in -i will typically change their final vowel to -e- before adding the -i- and the essive ending.
| mentor | mentori |
| We act as mentors for the new summer employees. | Toimimme mentoreina uusille kesätyöntekijöille. |
Because the essive uses the strong grade, double consonants remain strong and are not simplified:
| assistant (administrative, academic) | assistentti |
| If anyone asks, we started as assistants. | Jos kukaan kysyy, aloitimme assistentteina. |
| Many of us are here as alumni, but earlier we were exchange students. | Monet meistä ovat täällä alumneina, mutta aiemmin olimme vaihto-opiskelijoina. |