Joku is
some or
someone. Jokin is
some or
something. Joka is a totally another thing.
The challenge with
joka and
jokin is that in spoken language, we use some forms of
jokin instead of
joku. The real declination of
joku is just silly, or what do you think about
jollakulla or joiksikuiksi? Actually, sometimes we also use
joku when we should be saying
jokin, as if it didn't matter if the objects were alive or not. I'm doing my best to explain this craziness.
If there is a difference between official Finnish and the spoken language, I'll have an example of them both.The Wiktionary links above have all the cases in singular and plural. I'm just focusing on
the most common cases in singular as I don't want to alienate my readers.
joku - some, someone
nominative: joku
- Tuolla on joku mies. - There's some guy over there.
genitive: jonkun
- Menetkö sä sinne jonkun kaverin kanssa? - Are you going there with some friend?
partitive: jotakuta
- Ajattelin jotakuta toista. - I was thinking of someone else.
- Spoken language: Mä ajattelin jotain toista.
inessive: jossakussa
- Vika ei ole koskaan sinussa, vaan aina jossakussa muussa! - It's never your fault but always someone else's! (The fault is never in you.)
- Spoken language: Vika ei ole koskaan sussa, vaan aina jossain muussa!
elative: jostakusta
- Mitä teen, jos en tykkää jostakusta? - What will I do if I don't like someone?
- Spoken language: Mitä mä teen, jos mä en tykkää jostain?
illative: johonkuhun
- Yritä tutustua johonkuhun muuhun. - Try to get to know someone else.
- Spoken language: Yritä tutustua johonkin muuhun.
adessive: jollakulla
- Se on jollakulla. - Someone has it.
- Spoken language: Se on jollain.
ablative: joltakulta
- Sain sen joltakulta tutulta. - I got it from someone I know.
- Spoken language: Mä sain sen joltain tutulta.
allative: jollekulle
- Anna se jollekulle muulle. - Give it to someone else.
- Spoken language: Anna se jollekin muulle.
essive: jonakuna
- Pidätkö minua ystävänä vai jonakuna muuna? - Do you consider me a friend or something else?
- Spoken language: Pidätkö sä mua ystävänä vai jonain muuna?
translative: joksikuksi
- Anteeksi, luulin sinua joksikuksi muuksi. - Sorry, I though you were someone else.
- Spoken language: Sori, mä luulin sua jokskuks muuks.
jokin - some, something
nominative: jokin
- Tämä on jokin uusi tuote. - This is some new product.
- Spoken language: Tämä on joku uusi tuote.
genitive: jonkin
- Sinä sait jonkin kirjeen. - You received some letter.
- Spoken language: Sä sait jonkun kirjeen.
partitive: jotakin / jotain
inessive: jossakin / jossain
- Se on jossain laatikossa. - It is in some drawer.
- This can also mean somewhere.
elative: jostakin / jostain
- Mä löysin sen jostain kaapista. - I found it in some closet.
- This can also mean from somewhere.
illative: johonkin / jonnekin
- Mikko meni johonkin baariin. - Mikko went to some bar.
- This can also mean to somewhere.
adessive: jollakin / jollain
ablative: joltakin / joltain
- Tämä kuulostaa joltain Beatlesien kappaleelta. - This sounds like some song by the Beatles.
allative: jollekin
- Laita se jollekin pöydälle. - Put it (to) on some table.
essive: jonakin / jonain
- Jonain päivänä mä teen sen. - Some day I will do it.
translative: joksikin
- Mä menen pois joksikin aikaa. - I'll go away for some time.
Exercises:
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