The choice between the plural partitive (siskoja, tuoleja, seiniä) and the plural nominative (siskot, tuolit, seinät) in sentences is an issue that catches many language learners unaware. In this article, we will take a look at some guidelines when dealing with the T-plural vs partitive plural issue.

There are two parts to this issue. The easier one is what form the plural object of a sentence should be in (e.g. when buying eggs, do you say ostan munat or ostan munia). More complicated is the issue of the plural subject of a sentence (e.g. when some boys are running in the yard, do you say pojat juoksevat pihalla or poikia juoksee pihalla).

1. The Plural Object (Syön omenat; Syön omenoita)

The general rule is fairly simple: When dealing with an object that’s plural (e.g. doors, slippers, shovels), you use the T-plural (omenat) when you’re talking about all the things. The partitive plural (e.g. omenoita) is reserved for when you’re talking about many but not all.

The T-plural can also refer to a plural subject you were talking about earlier. Eg. Ostan vaatteet kaupasta doesn’t mean that you buy ALL the clothes in the store, but rather that you buy the clothes you were talking about earlier.

One other trick to figure out which one of the two you should use: the T-plural will usually have “the” in front of the object when translated to English.

2. The Plural Subject (Miehet kävelevät; Miehiä kävelee)

2.1. The Plural Subject in Regular Sentence

Regular sentences generally start with the subject of the sentence. This is the neutral word order that’s inherent to Finnish in general. If your subject is plural, we will usually use the T-plural for it.

2.2. Deviation From the General Rule

It’s possible to start your sentence with the plural partitive and to conjugate the verb in the third person singular. In these sentences, the plural partitive expresses that we’re not talking about specific subjects.

While you may run into sentences like the ones above with a plural partitive subject, my advice would be to not form sentences like this yourself. As a language learner, you’re still learning what sounds natural and what doesn’t. I’m cautioning against this mostly because language learners have the tendency to use the sentence construction above in contexts where it doesn’t fit. The T-plural vs partitive plural difference is a delicate one.

2.3. The Plural Subject in Existential Sentences

When saying that there is something somewhere, we’re dealing with an existential sentence. Plural subjects will appear in the partitive plural in this sentence type.

2.4. Reverse Word Order

The elements of an existential sentence can be presented in reversed word order. Below, you can find:

1. A regular sentence
2. An existential sentence
3. A reverse order existential sentence

Sentences such as “Poikia juoksee puistossa” may sound just like what you want to say when you’re translating it to English. However, please note that this is an exceptional sentence construction and — as a language learner — you’re better off sticking to the normal sentence construction “Puistossa juoksee poikia” for a while.

Once you’re at least level B1.2, you will have a better idea of when to use T-plural vs partitive plural beyond the general rule. Don’t try to be too creative until you get there.

That’s it for the difference between the plural partitive and the plural nominative.

Related posts:

The T-Plural – T-Monikko – Plural Nominative Syntax of Spoken Finnish – Spoken Language Grammar Hänestä tuli lääkäri – Tuloslause – Change and Result Sentences Kissa-words in the Plural Partitive