Partitive Plural Demonstratives
When pointing out multiple items, you use demonstrative pronouns. If the sentence requires the partitive plural—such as with negative sentences, ongoing actions, or specific verbs of emotion and perception (like rakastaa, katsoa, etsiä)—the demonstrative pronoun must also be in the partitive plural.
Demonstrative pronouns always agree with the noun they modify. If the noun is in the partitive plural, the pronoun must be too!
| English | Basic Form (Singular) | Partitive Plural |
|---|---|---|
| this / these | tämä | näitä |
| that / those (visible) | tuo | noita |
| it / those (out of sight) | se | niitä |
Using "näitä" (these)
Use näitä to talk about multiple items that are physically close to you. Notice how negative verbs and verbs of emotion trigger the partitive plural for both the pronoun and the noun.
| I do not use these deodorants. | Minä en käytä näitä deodorantteja. |
| I love these shampoos! | Minä rakastan näitä shampoita! |
Using "noita" (those, visible)
Use noita for things that are a little further away, but usually still visible to you and the person you are talking to.
| Do not put on those nail polishes! | Älä laita noita kynsilakkoja! |
| Do they sell those perfumes here? | Myyvätkö he noita hajuvesiä täällä? |
Using "niitä" (those, out of sight)
Use niitä to refer to items that are out of sight, abstract, or have already been mentioned in the conversation.
| I am looking for those new nail polishes. | Etsin niitä uusia kynsilakkoja. |
| The doctor recommended those creams. | Lääkäri suositteli niitä voiteita. |