The translative case is usually used to express a change or transition. Its marker is –ksi, and can be seen in phrases like “Valmistuin opettajaksi” (I graduated as a teacher) and “Hän tuli raskaaksi” (she got pregnant).

1. The Use of the Translative Case (-ksi)

1.1. When a change of state happens

By this, I mean that something changes from one state to another: say, from water to wine, or from warm to cold. The verb muuttua “to change, to turn into” is the most typical for this type of sentence.

The state is often expressed by an adjective (cold, sick, red, see #1), but it can also be a noun expressing a “state of being” (see #2). For example, water has three states: liquid, gas and solid. When ice melts, it goes from its solid state to its liquid state, so we can say “Jää muuttui vedeksi“.

1.2. When a transition happens

This is fairly close to 1.1, but deals mostly with people and is often harder for students to grasp. When a person becomes unemployed, pregnant or an engineer, in the Finnish language, that’s also seen as a change: first you’re a student and, then, you are a graduated engineer. Those are more transitions than changes.

Some verbs that are typical for this type of sentence are “päästä”, “opiskella”, “valmistua” and “joutua”. Learn more about translative rections in general here.

1.3. When expressing purpose

The translative is also used to express the intended role or purpose of something new that has been made.

1.4. When translating languages

Just like all the examples above, the act of translating also deals with a change, between languages this time! The target language will be put in the translative case.

1.5. When expressing the time of a future event

When we’re expressing the time by which something will happen or is due to happen, the translative is also used. These expressions of time are usually cases where we know in advance when, and for how long, something is going to happen.

1.6. In certain words

There are some words that inherently have the translative attached to them, either as a fossilized element, or to express an abstract use of the translative case. This also includes phrase constructions like “tietääkseni” and “muistaakseni”.

1.7. With certain verb rections

As mentioned in 1.1. and 1.2. there are certain verbs that have a rection that requires the translative case. You can read more about translative verb rections here.

1.8. With certain participle constructions

The translative also appears in some verb constructions using the participles. Some examples of this are “tulla tehdyksi” (something gets done), “saada tehdyksi” (I complete something) and “saada tehtäväkseen” (receive as a job). These are pretty terrible translations, I know. You can read more about past passive participle on our separate page.

2. The Formation of the Translative Case

The translative ending is –ksi. In the singular, it is added to the weak stem of the word (the same stem to which you add the –n for the genitive). In the plural, it is added to the plural stem (the stem to which you add the –ssa for the plural inessive).

2.1. Words ending in a single vowel (-a/-ä, -u/-y, -o/-ö): add -ksi

This is also true for some words ending in –i, but they generally have a different rule. See below!

2.2. Words ending in -e: add an extra -e- before the -ksi

Words ending in -e get a second -e- in any case except the partitive. Words ending in -e belong to wordtype B, which means their basic form will be weak (e.g. parveke, koe) and their translative strong (e.g. parvekkeeksi, kokeeksi).

2.3. Words ending in -nen: replace the -nen with -se before the -ksi

This is the same change that -nen words go through when used in any case except the partitive.

2.4. Words ending in -i

You can read more about the difference between the different kinds of words ending in -i here.

2.4.1. New words ending in -i: add -ksi

New words are often loanwords. Usually they’re recognisable because they resemble words in other languages, like pankki for “bank”, or paperi for “paper”. Loanwords are easier than Finnish words because they don’t undergo as many changes when you add endings.

2.4.2. Old words ending in -i: replace -i- with -e- and add -ksi

Old words are very often nature words. After all, nature has been around for so long that Finns have had names for nature words since the very beginning. Some words’ age can be confusing, for example äiti (mother) is actually a fairly new Finnish word, even though mothers have been around since the beginning of time!

2.4.3. Old words ending in -si: replace -si- with -de- and add -ksi

More old words, but this time with -si at their end. This group has its own additional change: the -si will turn into -de-.

Find out more about the inflection of the different types of words ending in –i!

2.5. Words ending in a consonant

2.5.1. Words ending in -as: replace -as with -aa- + -ksi

Words ending in -as (or –äs, depending on vowel harmony rules) belong to wordtype B, so they will have the weak grade in their basic form (e.g. rakas, opas) and the strong grade in the translative (e.g. rakkaaksi, oppaaksi). Read more about words ending in -as here.

2.5.2. Words ending in -is: two groups

For words ending in -is, we have two groups: words like kallis that get -ii- when inflected, and words like roskis that get -ikse- when inflected.

2.5.3. Words ending in -us/-os: two groups

Words ending in -os will get -okse- when inflected. Words ending in -us can belong to two groups: some get -ukse-, others get -ude- before the -ksi. You will want to check out this article to get the specifics.

Some general guidelines:

• If the word is based on a verb (such as opettaa > opetus), it will generally get –ukse-.
• If the word is based on an adjective (such as pimeä > pimeys), it will get –ude-.
• If the word is based on a noun (such as ystävä > ystävyys), it will get –ude-.
• If the word ends in –uus/yys (double vowel), you will get –ude-.

2.5.4. Words ending in -ton: replace -ton with -ttoma- + -ksi

Read more about words ending in -ton here.

2.5.5. Words ending in -in: replace -in with -ime- + -ksi

Read more about words ending in -in here.

2.5.6. Words ending in -ut: two groups

Words that end in -ut/yt can belong to two wordtypes. The smallest group of the two contains words such as olut, kevyt and lyhyt. For these words, you will replace the final -t with an –e- before the translative’s ending.

The much larger group is made up of NUT-participles such as väsynyt and tottunut. For the words, you will replace the -ut/yt with -ee- before the translative’s case ending.

2.5.7. Words ending in -tar

Words endin in -tar are rare, but at least tytär (daughter) is a common word. In the -ksi form, these words get -ttare- in place of the basic form’s -tar.

2.5.8. Non-Finnish words ending in a consonant

Loanwords and foreign names (e.g. Jonathan, Facebook) which end in a consonant will have an extra -i- added before the translative’s -ksi.

3. Consonant Gradation in the Translative Case

I have a separate article on wordtype A.

I have a separate article on wordtype B.

That concludes the article on the translative case!