Finnish location cases (+ additional meanings)
I’ve posted about locations cases before, but there is just so much to learn about them, particularly since some of the cases are quite nonintuitive or are just used with certain verbs.
This tends to be with verbs indicating movement of position such as:
mennä (to go)
tulla (to come)
muuttaa (to move)
palata (to return)
I will also come to the party.
Tulen myös juhliin.
I went to the store yesterday.
Minä menin kauppaan eilen.
I want to move to Finland.
Minä haluan muuttaa Suomeen.
He returned back home yesterday.
Hän palasi takaisin kotiin eilen.
Can be used to indicate: from, or about, also used with verbs:
pitää (to like)
tykätä (to like)
I am from Australia.
Minä olen Australiasta.
What are you talking about?
Mistä sinä puhut?
We are discussing money.
Me keskustelemme rahasta.
I like you.
Minä pidän sinusta.
1. Directly could be translated to “on” (like on the table, on the desk...),
The pen is on the desk.
Kynä on pöydällä.
The car is on the street.
Auto on kadulla.
2. Also used when referring to open places (i.e.without a roof - so I think of it as “on the market”, “on the street”, etc.)
They are walking on the yard.
He kävelemme pihalla.
3. Also can be “by” (i.e. by car) or “with” (i.e. )
I went to Paris by train.
Minä menin Pariisiin junalla.
4. Also used with some expressions of time (such as at night, this week, seasons, ... but not with month or year)
I was busy this week.
Minä olin kiireinen tällä viikolla
During summer it is hot.
Kesällä on kuuma.
At night, one sleeps.
Yöllä nukutaan.
1. When something is being removed from being “on” something.
He took the pen from the table.
Hän otti kynän pöydältä.
2. Can signify the time something occurs at, i.e. kello yksi = yhdeltä
I’ll meet you at 2 o’clock.
Minä tapaan sinut kahdelta.
3. Also used with verbs like:
näyttää - to look like, to seem
tuntea - to feel
kuulostaa - to sound like
You look good.
Näytät hyvältä.
It sounds strange.
Se kuulostaa oudolta.
He felt warm.
Hän tuntui lämpimältä.
The dress is too small for her.
Mekko on liian pieni hänelle.
He spoke to me only.
Hän puhui ainoastaan minulle.
He put the pen onto the table.
Hän laittoi kynän pöydälle.
Call her later.
Soita hänelle myöhemmin.
Very similar to “in” in English.
I am in New Zealand right now.
Minä olen Uudessa-Seelannissa juuri nyt.
He is in the house.
Hän on talossa.
