A super interesting plural partitive detail

Here's something cool about the plural partitive, or the plural stems in general, but let's not go too deep.

First, the basic words and their meanings:

• koira = a dog
• juna = a train
• kissa = a cat
• kala = a fish
• vessa = a bathroom, a toilet

All there words have two syllables and an a in the end. However, the plural partitive is different. MIKSI?

• koira > koiria
• juna > junia
• kissa > kissoja 
• kala > kaloja
• vessa > vessoja

The answer is in the first vowel of the word!

If the first vowel is O or U, the ending is IA:

• koira > koiria
• juna > junia

also

• muna (an egg)  > munia 
• kukka (a flower) > kukkia
• turha (pointless, useless) > turhia
• sota (a war) > sotia
• poika (a boy) > poikia

If the first vowel is A, E or I, the ending is OJA:

• kissa > kissoja 
• kala > kaloja
• vessa > vessoja

also

• kana (a chicken)  > kanoja
• sana (a word) > sanoja
• hella (a stove) > helloja
• vika (a fault) > vikoja
• sika (a pig) > sikoja

If you have Finnish friends, ask if they know about this. :)

Lue lisää: 

• An amazing post about the so called KISSA-words in Uusi kielemme
• 100 common words in plural partive
• Long words in plural partitive
• Plural partitive or t-plural? 

About the author of Random Finnish Lesson: 

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new.  If you want to subscribe to my newsletter, you can do it here.