illatiivitiiveihin

Illatiivitiiveihin is a descriptive label used to refer to the illative plural forms in Finnish, i.e., the forms that express movement into multiple objects or locations. In standard Finnish grammar, this is part of the illative case, which marks direction toward something, here in the plural sense.

Formation and examples

The illative plural is formed by adding the appropriate plural illative ending to the noun stem. The exact ending depends on the word’s stem and vowel harmony. Common illustrative forms include: kaupunki → kaupunkeihin (into cities), talo → taloihin (into houses), kissa → kissoihin (into cats). These examples show how the suffix changes the noun to indicate “into several …” and how the consonant/vowel structure of the stem influences the final shape.

Usage

Illatiivitiiveihin is used with verbs that denote movement or direction, especially in contexts like going into or entering multiple objects or places. It answers the question “into what into?” in the plural. Typical sentences express actions such as “They went into the cities” or “We walked into the houses,” with the illative plural marking attached to the noun.

Relation to other forms

This form is distinct from other cases and plurals in Finnish, such as the inessive (into something stationary) or the partitive plural. The illative plural often arises in narratives of movement or destination that involve more than one item, and its exact ending is determined by the stem’s properties and harmony rules.

See also

Finnish grammar, illative case, plural noun endings.

Note

In some grammars, the term illatiivitiiveihin is used informally to describe these forms; the formal label is illatiivi in the plural (illatiivi monikossa).