Possessiivipäätteen

Possessiivipäätteen refers to the possessive suffix in the Finnish language. It is used to indicate possession or ownership. In Finnish, the possessive suffix is attached to the possessed noun, not the possessor. This is a key difference from many other languages where a possessive pronoun or a genitive case is used.

The possessive suffix changes based on the person and number of the possessor. For example, the suffix for "my" is -ni, "your" (singular) is -si, "his/her/its" is -nsa or -hän/hän, "our" is -mme, "your" (plural) is -nne, and "their" is -nsa or -hän/hän. These suffixes are added to the end of the noun.

Consider the word "talo" which means "house." To say "my house," you would add the possessive suffix -ni to become "taloni." Similarly, "your house" is "talosi," "his/her house" is "talonsa," "our house" is "talomme," "your (plural) house" is "talonne," and "their house" is "talonsa."

It's important to note that when the possessive suffix is used, the personal possessive pronouns (minun, sinun, hänen, meidän, teidän, heidän) are often omitted as the suffix itself clearly indicates the possessor. However, these pronouns can be used for emphasis. The use of possessive suffixes is a fundamental aspect of Finnish grammar, enabling concise expression of ownership and relationships.