Kasviksi

Kasviksi is the translative case form of the Finnish noun kasvi, meaning plant. The translative case expresses a change of state or a role, roughly translating to “into a plant” or “as a plant” in English. It is formed by adding the suffix -ksi to the base form: kasvi becomes kasviksi in the singular, and kasvit becomes kasveiksi in the plural.

In usage, kasviksi is typically found with verbs that denote becoming or taking on a new role, most notably the verb tulla (to become). It can also appear in more figurative or literary contexts to indicate a transformation or assignment of a role. Because the translative conveys a specific sense of change, kasviksi is less common in everyday speech and may be encountered primarily in written Finnish, linguistic discussion, or stylistic prose.

The translative contrasts with other Finnish cases such as the nominative (kasvi) and the illative (kasviin), among many others in the language’s extensive case system. Etymologically, kasviksi derives from the noun kasvi plus the translative suffix -ksi, a productive pattern used to express changes of state or function across numerous Finnish nouns.

See also kasvi, translative case, Finnish grammar.