Esseivimuoto

Esseivimuoto, or essive, is a grammatical case in Finnish used to express a temporary state, role, or status, often translated as “as” in English. It marks how something is being considered or functioning at a given time, rather than a permanent classification.

The essive singular is formed by adding the suffix -na or -nä to the noun stem, with vowel harmony guiding the choice between -na and -nä. In the plural, the form becomes -ina or -inä. For example, opettaja (teacher) becomes opettajana (as a teacher) in the singular, and opettajina (as teachers) in the plural. Other common examples include kampaaja -> kampaajana (as a hairdresser) and opiskelija -> opiskelijana (as a student).

Usage notes:

The essive is frequently used with verbs such as olla (to be) and toimia or kokea to describe a role or temporary state. It answers questions like “in what capacity?” or “as what?” Examples: Hän toimii opettajana. (He acts as a teacher.) Hän on opettajana. (He is in the role of a teacher.) For a change of state or identity, Finnish often uses the translative case ending -ksi, as in Hän tuli opettajaksi. (He became a teacher.)

The essive contrasts with other cases that indicate location, movement, or permanent classifiers. It is a standard part of Finnish morphology and occurs across a wide range of nouns, with regular suffixation and straightforward vowel harmony rules.