The Plural Total Object (-t)
When an action affects a specific, complete set of multiple items—such as planting the seeds or fetching the shovels—the object is called a plural total object.
In Finnish, the plural total object simply takes the standard nominative plural ending -t.
Unlike singular total objects (which change their ending depending on the type of sentence), plural total objects are very consistent. They always keep their -t ending, even in commands where you instruct someone to interact with multiple items.
| Plant the seeds in a small pot! | Istuta siemenet pieneen ruukkuun! |
| Fetch the shovels, because we are going to the garden. | Hae lapiot, koska me menemme puutarhaan. |
Necessity Clauses and Adjectives
The consistent -t ending is also used in necessity clauses (such as those using the verb täytyy). Keep in mind that any adjectives describing the plural object must also take the -t ending to match.
| We must buy new pots for the garden. | Meidän täytyy ostaa uudet ruukut puutarhaan. |
| He must carry the buckets. | Hänen täytyy kantaa ämpärit. |
Standard Statements and Questions
Finally, regular statements and questions follow the exact same rule. The complete plural object ends in -t across all these contexts.
| Will you water the flowers and bushes? | Kasteletko sinä kukat ja pensaat? |
| I am planting the seeds in the garden. | Minä istutan siemenet puutarhaan. |