Kertoiksi

Kertoiksi is a Finnish form that appears in linguistic and stylistic discussions as a way to express “in the form of stories” or “as stories.” It is built from the verb kertoa (to tell) with the suffix -ksi, which in Finnish commonly marks function, role, or transformation (for example, tarinaksi meaning “as a story”). Compared with more standard narrative forms like tarinaksi or kertomukseksi, kertoiksi is infrequent and not widely listed in standard grammars. Its use is largely literary or theoretical, serving to illustrate how verb stems can be converted to a narrative function.

Etymology and morphology

Kertoiksi derives from the stem kert- of kertoa, combined with the derivational suffix -ksi. The -ksi suffix signals a role or transformation, similar to other -ksi forms used to express “as …” or “into ….” While common -ksi forms often attach to nouns to indicate a role (opettajaksi, “as a teacher”), kertoiksi represents a verb-based extension to convey narrative casting rather than a concrete noun.

Usage

The form kertoiksi is rare in everyday Finnish. It is primarily encountered in linguistic examples, stylistic writing, or theoretical discussions about how content can be reframed as narrative. In practical writing, speakers more often choose tarinoiksi or kertomuksiksi to express “as a story” or “as a narration.” When used, kertoiksi tends to emphasize the act of transforming information into a narrative form rather than simply labeling it as a story.

See also

Finnish grammar

-ksi derivation

Tarina

Kertomus