Language/Finnish/Grammar/Prepositions

◀️ Dining Out — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Postpositions ▶️

Prepositions are essential elements in any language, and Finnish is no exception. These versatile words help us to understand relationships between various components within a sentence, such as direction, location, and time. In Finnish grammar, prepositions serve as essential connectors, providing the necessary context to understand a sentence's meaning. This article will delve into Finnish prepositions, explaining their various forms and functions, as well as providing examples to help illustrate their usage in everyday conversation.

Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Finnish Participles & Asking Directions in Finnish.

Overview of Finnish Prepositions

Finnish prepositions differ from those in many other languages due to the unique structure of Finnish grammar. While many languages, such as English, use prepositions to indicate relationships between nouns, Finnish often relies on postpositions and cases to convey the same information. However, there are still a few key prepositions that you'll need to master in order to communicate effectively in Finnish.

The main prepositions in Finnish are:

1. ennen (before)
2. jälkeen (after)
3. ilman (without)
4. kanssa (with)
5. perässä (behind)
6. välillä (between)
7. kautta (through)

It's important to note that these prepositions can also function as postpositions in Finnish, depending on the context and sentence structure.

Finnish Cases and Prepositions

One of the key aspects of Finnish grammar is the extensive case system, which consists of 15 different cases. Some of these cases are used to convey the same types of relationships that prepositions do in other languages. When learning Finnish prepositions, it's important to be aware of the cases that can serve similar functions. Here are a few examples:

1. Inessive case (-ssa/-ssä): This case indicates being inside or within something, comparable to the English preposition "in." For example, "talo" (house) becomes "talossa" (in the house).
2. Elative case (-sta/-stä): The elative case is used to express movement out of or away from something, similar to the English preposition "from." For instance, "talo" (house) becomes "talosta" (from the house).
3. Illative case (-Vn/-seen): This case shows movement into something, like the English preposition "into." For example, "talo" (house) becomes "taloon" (into the house).
4. Adessive case (-lla/-llä): The adessive case signifies being on or at something, similar to the English preposition "on." For instance, "pöytä" (table) becomes "pöydällä" (on the table).
5. Allative case (-lle): This case is used to indicate movement toward something, comparable to the English preposition "to." For example, "talo" (house) becomes "talolle" (to the house).

Understanding the interplay between prepositions and cases in Finnish grammar is essential for mastering the language. While prepositions do exist in Finnish, they are used less frequently than cases to indicate relationships between words. Nevertheless, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with both prepositions and cases to achieve fluency in Finnish.

Using Finnish Prepositions

Now that we've covered the basics of Finnish prepositions and their relationship with cases, let's explore how to use these prepositions in various contexts.

Ennen (before)

"Ennen" is used to express a relationship in time. It can be used with both nouns and verbs.

• Example: Ennen joulua (before Christmas)
• Example: Ennen kuin lähden (before I leave)

Jälkeen (after)

"Jälkeen" is the opposite of "ennen" and is also used to indicate a relationship in time.

• Example: Jälkeen joulun (after Christmas)
• Example: Jälkeen kun olet lähtenyt (after you have left)

Ilman (without)

"Ilman" is used to express the absence or lack of something.

• Example: Ilman rahaa (without money)
• Example: Hän tuli ilman takkia (He came without a coat)

Kanssa (with)

"Kanssa" is used to indicate companionship or accompaniment.

• Example: Ystävien kanssa (with friends)
• Example: Hän on matkalla perheensä kanssa (He is traveling with his family)

Perässä (behind)

"Perässä" is used to indicate the position or direction of something being behind another object.

• Example: Talo on puun perässä (The house is behind the tree)
• Example: Hän seuraa minua perässäni (He follows me behind me)

Välillä (between)

"Välillä" is used to express the position of something being between two other things or the relationship between two points in time.

• Example: Kahden talon välillä (between two houses)
• Example: Välillä aamiainen ja lounas (between breakfast and lunch)

Kautta (through)

"Kautta" is used to indicate movement through something, a medium, or a route.

• Example: Kulkea kaupungin kautta (To go through the city)
• Example: Puhua puhelimen kautta (To talk through the phone)

Conclusion

In conclusion, Finnish prepositions play a crucial role in the language by helping to clarify the relationships between words within a sentence. While Finnish relies heavily on its extensive case system to express these relationships, mastering the key prepositions is still essential for effective communication. By understanding the various forms and functions of Finnish prepositions and their interplay with cases, you will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of Finnish grammar and communicate more clearly in this fascinating language.

More Prepositions in Finnish

ENGLISH	FINNISH	PRONUNCIATION IN ENGLISH
at	-lla / -llä	llah / llaa
against	vastaan	vahs taan
about	-sta	stah
below	alla	ahl lah
before	ennen	ehn nehn
between	välillä	vah lihl lah
behind	-n takana	n tah kah nah
but	mutta	moot tah
during	-n aikana	n ah ih kah nah
from	-lta / ltä	ltah / ltaa
in	-ssa / -ssä	ssah / ssah
of	-n / -in / -un /	n / ihn / oon /
on	-lla / -llä	llah / llaa
under	alla	ahl lah
with	-n kanssa	n kahns sah
without	-tta / ttä	-ttah / ttaa

Other Lessons

• Asking Directions in Finnish
• Negation
• Adjectives
• Sentence Structure
• Past Participle in Finnish
• Conditional Tense
• Future Tense
• Present Tense
• Imperative Mood

Table of Contents - Finnish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Finnish

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Adjectives

• Noun Cases
• Adjective Agreement

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Daily Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Leisure

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Forming Questions
• Negation

  ---

Food and Dining

• Food Vocabulary
• Dining Out

  ---

Prepositions and Postpositions

• Prepositions
• Postpositions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Finnish Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Finnish Sauna

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Conjunctions and Subordinate Clauses

• Conjunctions
• Subordinate Clauses

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Finnish Literature and Music

• Finnish Literature
• Finnish Music

◀️ Dining Out — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Postpositions ▶️