The -(i)-tse ending on words like postitse, puhelimitse, ohitse and maitse is called the prolative. However, the term is so obscure that there is no point in trying to remember it. We will only use this in certain fixed idioms.

Words ending in -tse can generally be used as adverbs or postpositions. They express the manner, means or route through which something moves or is transmitted. Usually, there is an -i- in front of the -tse, which is the plural marker (the meaning, however, isn’t plural).

Thank you, shannabell, for suggesting this topic in our discord server!

Below, you will find a large amount of words with the prolative ending (-tse). Not all of them are important to learn, so I’ve marked the ones that are the most useful in green.

1. Transportation

One way to use the prolative ending is in order to express the medium of transportation of something: how is it being transported.

1.1. Teitse – By road, by way of

The word teitse on its own means “by road”, but it rarely used in that meaning. Instead, it’s more likely to say “tietä pitkin“. The word teitse is more common in compound words, where it conveys the meaning of “by way of” (e.g. ilmateitse, vesiteitse, maateitse).

1.2. Maitse – By land, overland, by road

There are three words that carry the same meaning: maitse, maantietse and maatietse. They all refer to transportation by land or roads. Of these three maitse is the most common.

We can also use the postposition pitkin to express the same thing: maata pitkin. There are of course also more everyday vocabulary, such as autolla “by car”, junalla “by train” and bussilla “by bus”.

1.3. Ilmateitse – By air

The ways to express “by air” in Finnish are ilmateitse, lentoteitse and (very rarely) ilmoitse. The expression lentoteitse is used when meaning transportation, while ilmateitse is more used to express that diseases are airborne; are spread through the air.

In addition to the expressions above, it’s very common to say “ilman kautta” instead. In everyday life, you won’t talk about traveling abroad using these -itse words. The expression “ilman kautta” is useful, but you could also use lentäen “flying” or lentokoneella “by plane”.

1.4. Vesiteitse – By water

Waterborne transport and traveling via waterways can happen in many different ways. In Finnish, you can use vesiteitse and vesitse to express general transportation via water. In addition, we can be more specific and use meritse or meriteitse for sea transportation.

In everyday language, we can use merta pitkin “by sea”, laivalla “by ship” and veneellä “by boat”.

1.5. Rautateitse – By rail

If things are transported by train, we can use rautateitse “by rail” in more official situations. If we’re talking about traveling by rail, you will almost exclusively hear junalla “by train” instead.

2. Communication

This prolative ending can also be used to express the medium of transmitting information: how the information is delivered.

2.1. Postitse – By mail

If we’re sending something by mail, we can use postitse, postin kautta or postin välityksellä. In addition to those fairly official ways, you can also use postissa, which means “in the mail”. We can also use kirjeitse “by letter”.

2.2. Lentopostitse – By airmail

We can send something lentopostitse or lentopostin välityksellä.

2.3. Sähköpostitse – By email

Online, we can send something by email using the phrases sähköpostitse or sähköpostin välityksellä. In addition, in everyday language, sähköpostilla is also often used for the same purpose.

2.4. Puhelimitse – By phone, over the telephone

You can express communication by phone in Finnish with puhelimitse and puhelimen välityksellä. Theoretically, you can also use the word kännykkä in the prolative form: kännyköitse. This word hasn’t really caught on yet, but it is possible.

You might also run into the word puhelimella. This also means “by phone”. Unlike the previous phrases it’s not generally used to mean “by calling”. Rather, it has to do with using your phone to do something. For example, these days, you can pay with your phone.

2.5. Radioitse – By radio

We can send or receive information and messages radioitse or radioteitse “by radio, over the air”. These phrases are only used for communication. Listening to music on the radio (kuuntelen radiota) has nothing to do with radioitse.

2.6. Televisioitse – Via television

Televisioitse and televisioteitse are both words that mean that we send or receive information through the medium of television. It’s also possible to say television välityksellä “through television”. In everyday language, people will usually just say televisiossa, which means “on television” rather than “via television”.

2.7. Netitse – Via the internet

Possible newcomers to this word construction are netitse, internetitse and verkoitse. These all three mean that you do something via the internet. While these are useful, they don’t seem to have caught on completely yet as they are rarely used.

2.8. Satelliittiteitse – Via satellite

To express that things are broadcast via a satellite , we can use satelliittiteitse or satelliitin välityksellä. In everyday language, sateliittilla is probably more common.

3. Movement

The following prolative words express a movement. They can be used both as postpositions and as adverbs.

3.1. Ylitse – Over

The words ylitse and yli express a movement over something. It’s important that there’s the movement present in the action: the movement starts on one side, then goes over something, and continues at the other side. Say, for example, a bird flies over a tree, or you walk over a bridge. If it’s a static positioning above an object, you use yllä instead (pöydän yllä “above the table”, pöydän yli “over the table”).

The word attached to ylitse will appear in the genitive case, because it’s a postposition.

3.2. Alitse – Under

The words alitse and ali express a movement under something: going from one side of an object, underneath it, and continuing on the other side. It’s important that there’s the movement present. If it’s a static positioning below an object, you use alla instead (istuu pöydän alla “sits under the table”, ryömii pöydän ali äidin luo “crawls under the table to mother”).

The word attached to alitse will appear in the genitive case, because it’s a postposition.

3.3. Lävitse – Through

The words lävitse and läpi express a movement through something. The word lävitse can be used as a postposition, which requires the word attached to it to appear in the genitive. In addition, lävitse can also appear as an adverb on its own.

3.4. Ohitse – Past

The words ohitse and ohi express a movement past something. They can also be used in a more abstract meaning in order to express that something is over.

The word ohitse usually appears as an adverb on its own. It can also be used as a postposition, which requires the word attached to it to appear in the genitive.

3.5. Editse – Past the front

The word editse expresses a movement past the front of something: going from one side of an object, passing it on the front, and continuing on the other side. We can also use etupuolitse for the same meaning.

The word editse is used as a postposition, so it requires the word attached to it to appear in the genitive.

3.6. Taitse – Past the back

The word taitse is rare. It expresses a movement past the back of something: going from one side of an object, passing it from the back, and continuing on the other side. We can use takapuolitse as a synonym.

The word taitse is only used as a postposition, so it requires the word attached to it to appear in the genitive.

3.7. Välitse – From between

The word välitse means the same as välistä. It expresses a movement away from the space between multiple things. The word välitse is used as a postposition, so it requires the word attached to it to appear in the genitive.

3.8. Sivuitse, vieritse – From the side

The words sivuitse and vieritse expresses a movement which comes from the side of an object. Sometimes, they are used as a synonym of ohitse (see above).

They’re postposition, so they require the word attached to it to appear in the genitive.

3.9. Jäitse – Via the ice

When a lake is frozen, we can go to the opposite side of it over the ice. You can use the words jäitse and jääteitse to express this.

3.10. Puolitse – Past (the compass)

We can use puolitse in combination with the points of the compass: eteläpuolitse “from the South side”, pohjoispuolitse “from the North side”, länsipuolitse “from the West side”, itäpuolitse “from the East side”.

4. Teitse compounds used in official situations

The word -teitse “by way of” is used in a lot of compound words. Below, you can find some examples. These are mostly used in official documents and situations.

5. Medical terms with -teitse

Some medical terms can express the way a disease is transmitted.

6. Limitations to the prolative

The prolative can’t be seen as a productive form: it’s not really possible to make new words with the -tse ending catch on. We can invent words with the same kind of meaning and construction, but they’re not likely to catch on.

There are also limitations to what kind of words can get the ending. You can deliver information puhelimitse “by phone” and kirjeitse “by letter”, but using fakseitse “by fax” and korteitse “by card” just doen’t sound natural.

In literature, you can find some forms that are unusual and not used elsewhere, such as rajoitse “along to border” (Mika Waltari, Turms kuolematon) ja aidanraoitse “through the hole in the fence” (Antti Hyry, Kevättä ja syksyä). VISK also mentions the following examples: Sinä puhuit runoitse. “You spoken through poems.” and Ideat ilmenevät analogioitse. “The ideas become clear through analogues.” Needless to say, you’re not likely to come across those examples anywhere else.

The bible also contains some of these -tse adverbs, which aren’t widely used (Apostolien teot 27)

• …kulkivat aivan likitse Kreetaa
• …purjehdimme Salmonen nenitse Kreetan suojaan.
• Mutta ennen pitkää syöksyi saaren päällitse raju tuuli…

Read more:

• Kotimaisten kielten keskus: Erikoismuotoja maitse, valitusteitse (prolatiivi)
• Jussi Ylikoski: Prolatiivi ja instrumentaali: suomen -(i)tseja -teitsekieliopin ja leksikon rajamailla
• Kielikello: Kirjeitse annettu määräys. Suomen kielen prolatiiveista

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