The Partitive Case for Mass Nouns
Finnish uses the partitive case for uncountable things like liquids, foods, and materials. Where English uses "some" (like "some coffee"), Finnish expresses this by changing the noun's ending.
Adding -a or -ä
For most nouns ending in a single short vowel, add -a or -ä. Following vowel harmony rules, words with back vowels (a, o, u) take -a. Words with front vowels (ä, ö, y) or only neutral vowels (e, i) take -ä.
- kahvi (coffee) becomes kahvia
- suola (salt) becomes suolaa
- mehu (juice) becomes mehua
- viini (wine) becomes viiniä
| This is coffee. | Tämä on kahvia. |
| This is not salt. | Tämä ei ole suolaa. |
| Is this juice or wine? | Onko tämä mehua vai viiniä? |
Adding -ta or -tä
If a noun ends in two vowels (a long vowel or a diphthong), add -ta or -tä.
- tee (tea) becomes teetä
- suklaa (chocolate) becomes suklaata
| There is tea on the table. | Pöydällä on teetä. |
| The child is waiting for chocolate. | Lapsi odottaa suklaata. |
Quantities and Amounts
Use the partitive for unspecified amounts of a mass noun, or after quantity words like vähän (a little).
| There is sugar in the coffee. | Kahvissa on sokeria. |
| There is a little salt in the food. | Ruoassa on vähän suolaa. |
Possession and Actions
Mass nouns also take the partitive when they are possessed, part of a negative sentence (like "I do not have..."), or the object of an action involving an unspecified amount (like buying "some" coffee).
| Do you have money? | Onko sinulla rahaa? |
| We do not have money. | Meillä ei ole rahaa. |
| I often buy wine. | Minä ostan usein viiniä. |
| I buy a little coffee and sugar. | Minä ostan vähän kahvia ja sokeria. |