In English, we use prepositions (like for, towards, or against) before a noun. Finnish often uses postpositions, which come after the noun.
Postpositions dictate the grammatical case of the word they modify. While many require the genitive case, a specific group requires the partitive case. Let's look at three essential partitive postpositions: varten, kohti, and vastaan.
Varten (For)
Use varten to express purpose or intention. The noun it modifies takes the partitive case, followed immediately by the postposition.
| I am saving this piece for a checkmate. | Säästän tätä nappulaa shakkimattia varten. |
| I made this move for the king. | Tein tämän siirron kuningasta varten. |
| This pawn is for defense. | Tämä sotilas on puolustusta varten. |
Kohti (Towards)
Kohti describes the direction of a movement or the target of an attack.
| The bishop moves directly towards the queen. | Lähetti liikkuu suoraan kuningatarta kohti. |
| We are attacking towards the opponent's king. | Hyökkäämme vastustajan kuningasta kohti. |
Vastaan (Against)
Use vastaan when playing or defending against a specific opponent or move.
| I am playing against you. | Mä pelaan sua vastaan. |
| It is difficult to defend against a good move. | On vaikea puolustautua hyvää siirtoa vastaan. |
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