Predikatiivisiin

Predikatiivisiin is a Finnish term referring to predicative forms in clauses that use a linking verb, most commonly olla “to be.” Predikatiiviset describe or rename the subject or another element in the predicate, acting as predicate complements rather than attributes inside a noun phrase. They can be adjectives, nouns, or other word classes that function as the predicative part of a clause.

In standard Finnish, predicatives after a linking verb express states, properties, or identities. Common examples include predicative adjectives: Kissa on musta (The cat is black), or Kissat ovat mustia (The cats are black). The form of the predicative often reflects the subject’s number: with singular subjects the adjective tends to be in the nominative singular, while with plural subjects the predicative adjective frequently appears in the partitive plural form (mustia). Nominal predicatives are also possible, such as Hän on opettaja (He is a teacher), where the predicative noun renames the subject.

Predikatiiviset differ from attributive adjectives, which modify a noun within a noun phrase (esim. iso talo, “a big house”). The predicative element comes after the linking verb and serves to complete the meaning of the clause. Finnish grammar treats predikatiivinen ilmaisus as a distinct category, covering adjectival, nominal, and pronominal predicatives, with variation in case marking depending on number and syntactic position. In practice, predikatiivisiin forms are essential for expressing states, roles, and identities in copular clauses.