Vieraiksi

Vieraiksi is a Finnish translative plural form of the noun and adjective vieras, meaning “guest” or, in some senses, “strange.” In Finnish grammar the translative case expresses a change of state or a role taken on by something or someone, often translated into English as “into” or “as.” Therefore vieraaksi is the singular form (to become a guest / as a guest) and vieraiksi is the plural form (to become guests / as guests).

The word is most commonly used with verbs that denote movement or change of state, such as mennä (to go) or tulla (to come). For example, yhdessä with a sentence like “he menivät vieraiksi naapurinsa luokse” means “they went as guests to their neighbor’s place.” In this usage, vieraiksi specifies the role of the people as guests at the destination or event.

Vieraiksi is also part of broader Finnish patterns where the suffix -ksi (singular) or -iksi (plural) marks a shift in status or identity. It contrasts with other cases of vieras that describe being a guest in a different sense, or with the plural noun vieraat, which simply means “guests” as a set of people rather than indicating a change of state.

Etymologically, vieraiksi traces back to vieras, rooted in the idea of someone who is not a host or a resident; the translative suffix conveys becoming or acting in the role of that noun.

In practice, vieraiksi appears in everyday Finnish when speakers want to express that people are acting as guests or are taking on the status of guests during events, visits, or gatherings.