Pyöreälle

Pyöreälle is a Finnish grammatical form formed by combining the adjective pyöreä, meaning round or circular, with the allative suffix -lle. It is not a standalone lexical item but part of the noun phrase that marks direction toward or placement at a round object or place described as round. In practice, pyöreälle appears when the head noun is in the allative case and the preceding adjective describes the shape of that noun, as in situations like “pyöreälle pöydälle” meaning “to the round table” or “pyöreälle lautaselle” meaning “to the round plate.” The exact appearance of the phrase depends on the noun being inflected for the allative.

Usage and function: Pyöreälle illustrates Finnish inflection where adjectives agree with the case of the associated noun and the noun receives the allative ending. The phrase emphasizes the rounded nature of the object, while the allative marks the destination or target of movement or placement. Because Finnish grammar relies on case endings rather than fixed word order, such phrases are common in spoken and written Finnish when describing objects with a round shape and indicating direction or location.

Etymology: The form is derived from the adjective pyöreä plus the standard allative marker -lle, integrated into noun phrases to convey a sense of “to/at toward the round [object].”

See also: Finnish grammar, allative case, adjectives in Finnish, noun phrases.