Allatiiviin

Allatiiviin is a Finnish grammatical case used to indicate the direction or destination of movement, often translated as "to" or "toward" in English. It is one of the eight cases in the Finnish language and is formed by adding the suffix *-hin* or *-hän* to a noun, depending on the noun’s vowel harmony. For example, "kaupunki" (city) becomes "kaupunkiin" (to the city), while "kylä" (village) becomes "kylään" (to the village).

The allatiiviin case is primarily used with verbs of motion, such as *mennä* (to go), *tulla* (to come), *ajaa* (to drive), and *käydä* (to visit). It specifies where the action is directed. For instance, "Minä menen kouluun" means "I go to school," where "kouluun" is the allatiiviin form of "koulu" (school). Without this case, the sentence would lack clarity about the destination.

In some contexts, the allatiiviin can also express a general direction or goal, such as "päivää kohti" (toward the day) or "tulevaisuuteen" (toward the future). However, its most common use remains in indicating physical or conceptual movement.

Unlike some other cases, the allatiiviin does not change based on the noun’s number (singular or plural) but only on its vowel harmony. For example, "koti" (home) becomes "kotiin" (homeward), while "kotiin" remains the same regardless of whether it refers to one home or multiple homes. This case is essential for conveying precise spatial and directional relationships in Finnish sentences.