Maailmaan

Maailmaan is the illative case form of the Finnish noun maailma, which means “world.” In Finnish grammar the illative expresses movement toward something and answers the question minne, “to where?” The illative singular form for this word is maailmaan, created by adding the illative suffix to the stem.

Usage and meaning

Maailmaan is used when describing going into or entering the world, either literally or figuratively. It can appear in everyday language, as well as in literary or philosophical contexts, to convey immersion in a place, experience, or conceptual realm. Examples include sentences like “Menen maailmaan tutkimaan luontoa” (I go into the world to study nature) or “Elokuva vie katsojan maailmaan” (The film takes the viewer into the world).

Relation to related forms

Maailmaan is part of a set of related cases formed from μέ maailma. Other forms include maailmassa (inessive, “in the world”), maailman (genitive, “of the world” or “world’s”), and maailmasta (elative, “out of the world”). There is also the allative form, typically sembra-like to indicate direction toward a location, such as maailmalle (“to the world”). These forms are distinguished by their endings and the questions they answer, such as missä, mihin, and minne.

Notes

Maailmaan should not be confused with other closely related forms that denote different spatial or temporal relations. Its use is broad, extending from concrete movement to metaphorical or symbolic entry into a concept, culture, or domain.

Overall, maailmaan is a standard illative form of the word maailma, common in Finnish discourse to express entering or entering into the world in both literal and figurative senses.