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Finnish

### The Comitative Case (-ine-)

The Finnish comitative case is a formal structure used to express who or what accompanies someone, translating roughly to "together with" or "accompanied by." Because of its elevated tone, it appears most often in news reports, literature, and descriptions of state visits and diplomatic events.

To form the comitative, take the **strong plural stem** of the noun (which includes the plural marker **-i-**), add the case ending **-ne-**, and attach a **possessive suffix**.

| Noun | English | Plural Stem | Comitative + 3rd Person | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| puoliso | spouse | puolisoi- | puolisoineen | with his/her spouse(s) |
| avustaja | assistant | avustaji- | avustajineen | with his/her assistant(s) |
| valtuuskunta | delegation | valtuuskunti- | valtuuskuntineen | with his/her delegation(s) |

Because the comitative always builds on the plural stem, the resulting word can refer to a singular or plural companion. *Puolisoineen* can mean "with his spouse" or "with his spouses" depending on context.

### Third-Person Subjects

When the subject is in the third person (he, she, or they), the comitative takes the third-person possessive suffix **-en** (or **-nsa**/**-nsä**). This is its most common use, especially when reporting on VIPs and officials.

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### Addressing Groups

The possessive suffix must match the subject. If you are speaking to a group (or formally to one person), use the second-person plural possessive suffix **-nne** (your). 

Notice how the word changes from *puolisoineen* (with his/her/their spouses) to *puolisoinenne* (with your spouses).

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### Multiple Companions

When a person is accompanied by multiple groups or individuals connected by *ja* (and), the comitative ending and possessive suffix must attach to every noun in the list.

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The comitative case (-ine-)

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
ambassador	suurlähettiläs
spouse	puoliso
The ambassador arrived with his spouse.	Suurlähettiläs saapui puolisoineen.
minister	ministeri
assistant	avustaja
The minister travels to London with her assistants.	Ministeri matkustaa Lontooseen avustajineen.
delegation	valtuuskunta
The president left the palace with his delegation.	Presidentti lähti palatsista valtuuskuntineen.
Welcome, ministers! Please step into the hall with your spouses.	Tervetuloa, ministerit! Astukaa saliin puolisoinenne.
interpreter	tulkki
Did the ambassador come to the meeting with her interpreters?	Tuliko suurlähettiläs kokoukseen tulkkeineen?
entourage	seurue
The king returned to the castle with his entourage.	Kuningas palasi linnaan seurueineen.
guard	vartija
The director arrived with his guards.	Johtaja saapui vartijoineen.
Please wait here with your entourages.	Odottakaa täällä seurueinenne.
advisor	neuvonantaja
The advisor participated in the event with his assistants.	Neuvonantaja osallistui tapahtumaan avustajineen.
Did the minister leave with his advisors and interpreters?	Lähtikö ministeri neuvonantajineen ja tulkkeineen?
The emperor walked into the temple with his guards.	Keisari käveli temppeliin vartijoineen.
secretary	sihteeri
The secretaries remained in the hotel with their delegations.	Sihteerit jäivät hotelliin valtuuskuntineen.
The minister arrives today with his secretaries.	Ministeri saapuu tänään sihteereineen.
company (being with someone)	seura
The minister enjoys the ambassador's company.	Ministeri nauttii suurlähettilään seurasta.
His company is always fun.	Hänen seuransa on aina hauskaa.
along, in tow	mukana
The interpreter is along in the delegation.	Tulkki on mukana valtuuskunnassa.
The guard is always along.	Vartija on aina mukana.
Mr, sir	herra
Good day, Mr Ambassador!	Hyvää päivää, herra suurlähettiläs!
Mr Minister is already here.	Herra ministeri on jo täällä.
Mrs, madam	rouva
Madam Secretary, here is the statement.	Rouva sihteeri, tässä on lausunto.
Madam Adviser is speaking with the interpreter.	Rouva neuvonantaja puhuu tulkin kanssa.
Miss	neiti
Miss Assistant, where is the delegation?	Neiti avustaja, missä valtuuskunta on?
Miss Secretary writes the message.	Neiti sihteeri kirjoittaa viestin.

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