• Finnish has a "fixation" with:
  • whether objects are countable,
  • whether something is part of something bigger
  • whether something is going to be completed in full
    This is all reflected in this intro to talking about objects in Finnish and which case to use.

Choosing a case

In a sentence, pay attention to the object vs the subject of the sentence. The object is the part of a sentence that something is being done to, usually comes after the verb. Not every sentence has an object. The object will use a differenct case depending on if:

• If it's countable (ainesanat)
• If it comes after a partitive verb (a verb that always makes its object Partitiivi)
• If it it's a negative sentence
• If you're referring to a specific thing (when you would use "the" in English)
• If it's plural

What we need to know for the test

• We use Genitiivi or a special kind of personal pronoun (mut/sut/hänet/meidät/teidät/heidät) if:
  • You're talking about whole, countable thing
    • Mä syön omenan, I eat (the whole) apple
  • Using one of these verbs:
    • ostaa, saada, antaa, tavata, tuntea, nähdä
  • Examples:

  Eija osti auton
  mä sain uuden läppärin

• We use Partitiivi for:
  • Mass nouns (ainesanat)
    • Juon teetä, syön spagettia
  • Negative statements
    • mä en näe sua, hän ei tunne meitä
  • It comes after a partitive verb
    • The ones we need to know for the test are:
    • puhua, opiskella, odottaa, katsoa, pelata, rakastaa

Extra knowledge

• The plural form (Monikko (plural)) gets used if if you would normally use Genitiivi