Editing Finnish grammar (section)

====Consonant stems====
A word with a '''consonant stem''' is one where case suffixes can in some cases be affixed directly after the last consonant for at least some forms. Words with consonant stems come in three broad classes.

The first class of consonant-stem words largely resemble ''e''-stems, but allow elision of the stem vowel in the partitive singular, and for certain words, plural genitive. In the later case, this involves a special allomorph {{lang|fi|-ten}}, employing the plural marker {{lang|fi|t}} rather than {{lang|fi|i}}/{{lang|fi|j}}.

The final consonant in words of this class must be one of ''h, l, m, n, r, s, t''. Other remarks for ''e''-stem words still apply.

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
!English
!stem
!singular
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}} [[Genitive case|{{abbr|gen.|genitive}}]]
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}} [[Partitive case|{{abbr|part.|partitive}}]]
!plural
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{abbr|gen.|genitive}}
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{abbr|part.|partitive}}
!Notes
|-
|goat
|{{lang|fi|-h(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|vuohi}}
|{{lang|fi|vuohen}}
|{{lang|fi|vuohta}}
|{{lang|fi|vuohet}}
|{{lang|fi|vuohien}}
|{{lang|fi|vuohia}}
|
|-
|wind
|{{lang|fi|-l(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|tuuli}}
|{{lang|fi|tuulen}}
|{{lang|fi|tuulta}}
|{{lang|fi|tuulet}}
|{{lang|fi|tuulien}}, {{lang|fi|tuulten}}
|{{lang|fi|tuulia}}
|
|-
|broth
|{{lang|fi| -m(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|liemi}}
|{{lang|fi|liemen}}
|{{lang|fi|lie'''n'''tä}}
|{{lang|fi|liemet}}
|{{lang|fi|liemien}}, {{lang|fi|lie'''n'''ten}}
|{{lang|fi|liemiä}}
| ''m'' → ''n'' before ''t''.
|-
| sound
|{{lang|fi|-n(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|ääni}}
|{{lang|fi|äänen}}
|{{lang|fi|ääntä}}
|{{lang|fi|äänet}}
|{{lang|fi|äänien}}, {{lang|fi|äänten}}
|{{lang|fi|ääniä}}
|
|-
|bow
|{{lang|fi|-s(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|jousi}}
|{{lang|fi|jousen}}
|{{lang|fi|jousta}}
|{{lang|fi|jouset}}
|{{lang|fi|jousien}}, {{lang|fi|jousten}}
|{{lang|fi|jousia}}
|
|}

Words of this type may have somewhat irregular declension due to additional historical changes:

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
!English
!stem    
!singular
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}} [[Genitive case|{{abbr|gen.|genitive}}]]
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}} [[Partitive case|{{abbr|part.|partitive}}]]
!plural
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{abbr|gen.|genitive}}
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{abbr|part.|partitive}}
!Notes
|-
|child
|{{lang|fi|-ps(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|lapsi}}
|{{lang|fi|lapsen}}
|{{lang|fi|la'''s'''ta}}
|{{lang|fi|lapset}}
|{{lang|fi|lapsien}}, {{lang|fi|la'''s'''ten}}
|{{lang|fi|lapsia}}
| rowspan="2"| The first consonant in a cluster of three is lost: ''Cs'' + ''t'' → ''st''. 
|-
|knife
|{{lang|fi|-ts(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|veitsi}}
|{{lang|fi|veitsen}}
|{{lang|fi|vei'''s'''tä}}
|{{lang|fi|veitset}}
|{{lang|fi|veitsien}}
|{{lang|fi|veitsiä}}
|-
|hand
|{{lang|fi|-t(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|kä'''s'''i}}
|{{lang|fi|käden}}
|{{lang|fi|kättä}}
|{{lang|fi|kädet}}
|{{lang|fi|kä'''s'''ien}}, {{lang|fi|kätten}}
|{{lang|fi|kä'''s'''iä}}
| rowspan="2"| ''ti'' becomes ''si''. (Variation of ''t''/''d'', ''nt''/''nn'' is regular and due to consonant gradation.)
|-
| nail
|{{lang|fi|-nt(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|kyn'''s'''i}}
|{{lang|fi|kynnen}}
|{{lang|fi|kynttä}}
|{{lang|fi|kynnet}}
|{{lang|fi|kyn'''s'''ien}}
|{{lang|fi|kyn'''s'''iä}}
|-
| two
|{{lang|fi|-kt(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|kak'''s'''i}}
|{{lang|fi|ka'''h'''den}}
|{{lang|fi|ka'''h'''ta}}
|{{lang|fi|ka'''h'''det}}
|{{lang|fi|kak'''s'''ien}}
|{{lang|fi|kak'''s'''ia}}
| In addition to the previous changes, ''kt'' and ''ktt'' become ''ht''/''hd''.
|}

For some words of this type, modern Finnish displays a tendency of development from consonant-stems to e-stems. For example, the partitive singular of the word {{lang|fi|tuomi}} "bird cherry" may be {{lang|fi|tuonta}} (consonant stem) or {{lang|fi|tuomea}} (vowel stem).

Another class of consonant-stem words end in a consonant even in the nominative; if a stem vowel is required for phonotactic reasons, ''e'' again appears. In Modern Finnish, only dental and alveolar consonants /l n r s t/) occur word-finally but previously words ending in /ʃ~ʂ h k m/ were possible as well.
:{| class="wikitable"
|-
!English
!stem 
!singular
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}} [[Genitive case|{{abbr|gen.|genitive}}]]
!{{abbr|sg.|singular}} [[Partitive case|{{abbr|part.|partitive}}]]
!plural
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{abbr|gen.|genitive}}
!{{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{abbr|part.|partitive}}
!Notes
|-
|joint
|{{lang|fi|-l(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|nivel}}
|{{lang|fi|nivelen}}
|{{lang|fi|niveltä}}
|{{lang|fi|nivelet}}
|{{lang|fi|nivelien}}, {{lang|fi|nivelten}}
|{{lang|fi|niveliä}}
| 
|-
|core
|{{lang|fi|-m(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|ydi'''n'''}}
|{{lang|fi|ytimen}}
|{{lang|fi|ydi'''n'''tä}}
|{{lang|fi|ytimet}}
|{{lang|fi|ytimien}}, {{lang|fi|ydi'''n'''ten}}
|{{lang|fi|ytimiä}}
| ''m'' → ''n'' when word-final or before ''t''.
|-
|perch
|{{lang|fi|-n(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|ahven}}
|{{lang|fi|ahvenen}}
|{{lang|fi|ahventa}}
|{{lang|fi|ahvenet}}
|{{lang|fi|ahvenien}}, {{lang|fi|ahventen}}
|{{lang|fi|ahvenia}}
|
|-
|sister
|{{lang|fi|-r(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|sisar}}
|{{lang|fi|sisaren}}
|{{lang|fi|sisarta}}
|{{lang|fi|sisaret}}
|{{lang|fi|sisarien}}, {{lang|fi|sisarten}}
|{{lang|fi|sisaria}}
|
|-
|beer
|{{lang|fi|-t(e)}}
|{{lang|fi|olut}}
|{{lang|fi|oluen}}
|{{lang|fi|olutta}}
|{{lang|fi|oluet}}
|{{lang|fi|oluiden}}
|{{lang|fi|oluita}}
| ''t'' disappears in vowel-stem forms due to consonant gradation.
|}

=====Nouns ending in ''-s''=====
Vocalization or lenition is found in addition to any possible [[consonant gradation]], e.g. {{lang|fi|kuningas}} (nominative) ~ {{lang|fi|kuninkaan}} (genitive), or {{lang|fi|mies}} ~ {{lang|fi|miehen}}. The illatives are marked thus: {{lang|fi|kuninkaaseen}}, {{lang|fi|mieheen}}.

=====''-nen'' nouns=====
This is a very large class of words which includes common nouns (for example {{lang|fi|nainen}} 'woman'), many proper names, and many common adjectives. Adding {{lang|fi|-inen}} to a noun is a very productive mechanism for creating adjectives ({{lang|fi|lika}} 'dirt, filth' → {{lang|fi|likainen}} 'dirty'; {{lang|fi|ilo}} 'joy' → {{lang|fi|iloinen}} 'merry, happy'; {{lang|fi|muovi}} 'plastic' → {{lang|fi|muovinen}} 'made of plastic'/'plastic-like' ). It can also function as a diminutive ending.

The form behaves as if it ended in {{lang|fi|-s}}, with the exception of the nominative, where it is {{lang|fi|-nen}}. Thus, the stem for these words removes the {{lang|fi|-nen}} and adds {{lang|fi|-s(e)}} after which the inflectional ending is added:

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Finnish !! English
|-
| {{lang|fi|muovise'''ssa''' pussi'''ssa'''}} || <nowiki>'</nowiki>'''in''' the plastic bag'
|-
| {{lang|fi|kaksi muovista lelua}} || 'two plastic toys'
|-
| {{lang|fi|muovise'''en''' laatikko'''on'''}} || <nowiki>'</nowiki>'''into''' the plastic box'
|}

Here are some of the diminutive forms that are in use:

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Finnish !! Stemming from !! English
|-
| {{lang|fi|kätönen}} || {{lang|fi|käsi}} || 'a small hand' (affectionate)
|-
| {{lang|fi|lintunen}} || {{lang|fi|lintu}} || 'birdie', 'a small bird'
|-
| {{lang|fi|veikkonen}} || {{lang|fi|veikko}} || 'lad'
|-
| {{lang|fi|kirjanen}} || {{lang|fi|kirja}} || 'booklet'
|-
| {{lang|fi|kukkanen}} || {{lang|fi|kukka}} || 'a little flower'
|-
| {{lang|fi|lapsonen}} || {{lang|fi|lapsi}} || 'a little child'
|}

A special class of Finnish nouns in -nen are surnames. Some of these are very old and often their original meaning is not readily apparent to a modern speaker. Many were later coined on the -nen pattern and these often have the suffix added to a word meaning a natural feature. Some representative examples are:

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Finnish !! From word !! English
|-
| {{lang|fi|Rautiainen}} || {{lang|fi|rautio}} || blacksmith (of a blacksmith's family)
|-
| {{lang|fi|Korhonen}} || {{lang|fi|korho}} || 'deaf' (of a deaf man's family)
|-
| {{lang|fi|Leinonen}} || {{lang|fi|leino}} || 'sorrowful, melancholic'; alternatively male name {{lang|fi|Leino}} as short for Leonard
|-
| {{lang|fi|Virtanen}}, {{lang|fi|Jokinen}}, {{lang|fi|Järvinen}}, {{lang|fi|Nieminen}}...
| {{lang|fi|virta}}, {{lang|fi|joki}}, {{lang|fi|järvi}}, {{lang|fi|niemi}}
| 'the family from by the stream ({{lang|fi|virta}}), river ({{lang|fi|joki}}), lake ({{lang|fi|järvi}}), peninsula ({{lang|fi|niemi}})'
|-
| {{lang|fi|Mikkonen}} || || [A family name assimilated from the name of the farmhouse, after the householder's name 'Mikko']
|-
| {{lang|fi|Martikainen}} || || possible origin {{lang|fi|Martikka}}, a South [[Karelian language|Karelian]] surname{{source?|date=December 2020}}
|-
| {{lang|fi|Lyytikäinen}} || || from {{lang|fi|Lyytikkä}}, originating to Germanic male name ''Lydecke''{{source?|date=December 2020}}
|}

The suffix {{lang|fi|-nen}} also occurs in place-names. Many place-names ending with {{lang|fi|-nen}} assume a plural form when inflected. For instance, the illative of {{lang|fi|[[Sörnäinen]]}} is {{lang|fi|Sörnäisiin}} instead of singular {{lang|fi|Sörnäiseen}}.

=====''-e'' nouns=====
Most present-day -e nouns derive from older *-eh (<*-eš) or *-ek stems in which the consonant has been lost, which also explains why words in this class behave differently from the -i/-e class, which underwent word-final vowel raising in the nominative singular, such as *''saar'''e''''' > ''saar'''i''''' ('island') but ''saar'''e'''n'', ''saar'''e'''lla, etc.'' ('island's', 'on the island'). Class -e word-final consonant does not survive in any form of the paradigm, although the existence of a consonant is still seen in that the nominative singular form (citation form) shows weak gradation, and strong grade vowel stem to which most case suffixes are applied.   

E-stem words have an additional e in the inflected stem: {{lang|fi|perhe}} 'family' (< *''pereh'' via metathesis), but {{lang|fi|perhee-}}, so {{lang|fi|perheessä}}, {{lang|fi|perheellä}}, etc.; which represents the historical loss of a medial consonant.  
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!
! colspan="3" |''perhe''
! colspan="3" |liike
|-
|Singular
|'''Phase 1'''
<nowiki>*</nowiki>pereš(e-)
|'''Phase 2'''
<nowiki>*</nowiki>pereh(e-)
|'''Now'''
|'''Phase 1'''
<nowiki>*</nowiki>liik'ek :
<nowiki>*</nowiki>liikkege-
|'''Phase 2'''
<nowiki>*</nowiki>liikeh :
<nowiki>*</nowiki>liikkehe-
|'''Now'''
|-
|nominative
|*pereš
|*pere<u>h</u>
|''perhe''
|*liik'ek
|*liike<u>h</u>
|''liike''
|-
|genitive
|*pereše-n
|*pere<u>h</u>e-n
|''perheen''
|*lii'''kk'''eg-en
|*lii'''kk'''e<u>h</u>e-n
|''liikkeen''
|-
|illative
|*pereše-sen
|*pere<u>h</u>e-se(he)n
|''perheeseen''
|*lii'''kk'''ege-sen
|*lii'''kk'''e<u>h</u>e-se(he)n
|''liikkeeseen''
|}
However, in some dialects, the much older *-š and *-k stems have shifted to {{lang|fi|-s}} and {{lang|fi|-t}} instead, for instance in [[Ostrobothnia (administrative region)|Pohjanmaa]] dialect [[wiktionary:vene#Finnish|*weneš]] > ''venes'' for standard ''vene'' ('boat') and [[wiktionary:kaste#Finnish|*kastëk]] > ''kastet'' for standard ''kaste'' ('dew').

The partitive stem behaves yet differently due to a loss of word-medial -e- in some contexts before the change from *-k- to *-h- took place, in which the consonant has been assimilated to a {{lang|fi|-t-}} before it occurred in the context for being lost.  Other case endings are suffixed to the strong grade/vowel stem.

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+ ''-e'' nouns
|-
! case !! {{lang|fi|huone}} 'room' !! {{lang|fi|laite}} 'device'
|-
! partitive {{abbr|sg.|singular}}
| {{lang|fi|kaksi huonetta}} <br /> 'two rooms' || {{lang|fi|kaksi laitetta}} <br /> 'two devices'
|}

More of this phenomenon is discussed in [[Finnish phonology#Sandhi|Finnish Phonology: Sandhi]].