Suffix Order

[Kenni]

Hello all, I've been gone for quite a bit (busy with school and such), but I have another question regarding Finnish.

Are there any particular rules for the 'order' for the different suffixes? Or is it just one of those, 'it just sounds right' kind of things?

I've just recently been informed that possessive suffixes come at the end unless there's some kind of -ko/-kö suffix. But as for the rest of the many Finnish suffixes, I'm kind of clueless really.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

~Kenni
(sorry if something about this has already been posted before)

[Hank W.]

Well, yes,

talo = house
taloko = house, eh?
taloni = my house
talossa = in the house
talossani = in my house
talossaniko? = in my house, eh?

now transalte:
talossanikohankään?

[mookoo]

Yeah, Finnish kinda sucks with all those darn endings. The rules for nominals (nouns, adjectives, pronouns and numerals) are as follows:

Stem + Number + Case + Possessive + Particle

The number is just the plural markers -i or -t ... pretty easy.
The case is one of the 15 like genative, partitive, inessive, elative ... for example -ssa (in), -sta (from), -lla (on), etc.
The possessive shows who owns the object like -ni (my) and -si (your) ... theres 6 of those
Then the particle gives any additional information like -kin (also) -han (emphasis) -kaan (not either) -ko/-kö (question) etc. and there are also six of those.

For example:
pullo/i/ssa/nne/kin = pulloissannekin = in your bottles too.


Then the finite verbs are structured

Root + Passive ending + Tense, mood ending + Person ending + Particle

Non-finte verbs are

Root + Passive ending + Non-finite ending + Number ending + Case ending + Possessive ending + Particle ending

I haven't studied this that much ... so I guess I can't really explain yet, but you can probably already tell it can get ugly.

To give a further explanation of the -ko/-kö, you use it when you want to form a question without using one of the "question words". Sentences like "missä sinä olet?" (where are you) don't need this ending because it already contains a question word (missä). But something like "haluatko kahvia?" (do you want some coffee) does need it. More examples ...
Eikö totta? - Isn't it true?
Oletko sinä Suomalainen? - Are you Finnish?
Menettekö pankkiin? - Do you (pl.) go to the bank?
Talosiko? - Your house?
Autoko? - The car?

By the way ... EVERYTHING in Finnish has a rule ... which is good or bad depending on how much you like rules! Good luck.

[vladraptor]

now transalte:
talossanikohankään?

Shouldn't that be talossanikohankaan? Vowel harmony you know....

[Hank W.]

Talossasikohankin?

[Tellervo]

*slaps forehead* D'OH!! I just didn't understand any of all that best be rereading to get it all

[Hank W.]

ymmärtämättömyydessäsikökänhään?

understand-less-ness-of-yours-[ask]-in-even-[doubt]

[vladraptor]

Talossasikohankin?

or talossasiko Hankin?

[Kenni]

Well, since I've neglected to really come back here much lately and couldn't be arsed to reply, I apologize. I'm quite inconsiderate.

Well, yes,

talo = house
taloko = house, eh?
taloni = my house
talossa = in the house
talossani = in my house
talossaniko? = in my house, eh?

now transalte:
talossanikohankään?

Um... "not in my house either?" (wait, vowel harmony... newbie's brain confused )

Y'know, with these sites about Finnish, I'm getting almost to the point where I don't suck at talking about my house (well, not really, but you get the point )

Yeah, Finnish kinda sucks with all those darn endings. The rules for nominals (nouns, adjectives, pronouns and numerals) are as follows:

Stem + Number + Case + Possessive + Particle

The number is just the plural markers -i or -t ... pretty easy.
The case is one of the 15 like genative, partitive, inessive, elative ... for example -ssa (in), -sta (from), -lla (on), etc.
The possessive shows who owns the object like -ni (my) and -si (your) ... theres 6 of those
Then the particle gives any additional information like -kin (also) -han (emphasis) -kaan (not either) -ko/-kö (question) etc. and there are also six of those.

For example:
pullo/i/ssa/nne/kin = pulloissannekin = in your bottles too.


Then the finite verbs are structured

Root + Passive ending + Tense, mood ending + Person ending + Particle

Non-finte verbs are

Root + Passive ending + Non-finite ending + Number ending + Case ending + Possessive ending + Particle ending

I haven't studied this that much ... so I guess I can't really explain yet, but you can probably already tell it can get ugly.

To give a further explanation of the -ko/-kö, you use it when you want to form a question without using one of the "question words". Sentences like "missä sinä olet?" (where are you) don't need this ending because it already contains a question word (missä). But something like "haluatko kahvia?" (do you want some coffee) does need it. More examples ...
Eikö totta? - Isn't it true?
Oletko sinä Suomalainen? - Are you Finnish?
Menettekö pankkiin? - Do you (pl.) go to the bank?
Talosiko? - Your house?
Autoko? - The car?

By the way ... EVERYTHING in Finnish has a rule ... which is good or bad depending on how much you like rules! Good luck.

Yes! Finally some sanity! Thank you (I'm saving that rule right now)

Rules are good, exceptions are bad; well, in linguistics anyway.