Partitiivsingularis

Partitiivsingularis, or partitive singular, is a grammatical form in Finnish used to mark a direct object that is incomplete, indefinite, or uncountable. It is one of the forms of the partitive case and contrasts with the nominative and genitive singular, as well as with the partitive plural.

Usage and function: The partitive singular is commonly used when the object is not fully specified or is consumed in part, as in ongoing or habitual actions, and in sentences with negation where the direct object tends to be in the partitive. It also appears with mass nouns and with expressions indicating an amount or portion. Examples include situations like eating or drinking something, acquiring or perceiving part of something, or speaking about an indefinite quantity.

Formation: In Finnish, the partitive singular is formed by adding a suffix to the noun stem, with endings typically following vowel harmony rules. Common endings include -a/-ä and -ta/-tä, but many nouns have irregular or stem-changing forms. The exact suffix depends on the noun’s phonology and derivation, so learners often memorize the partitive singular form for each noun.

Examples: leipää (bread as a partitive singular form of leipä), vettä (water from vesi), kirjaa (a book from kirja), maitoa (milk from maito). These forms appear in sentences such as Ostan leipää, En syö vettä, Luin kirjaa, and Juo maitoa.

Relation to other forms: The partitive singular is distinct from the nominative and genitive singular, and from the partitive plural. It coexists with other case forms to express different aspects of quantity, completeness, and action.

See also: Partitive plural, Finnish grammar, case systems.