joukkoasuffix

A joukkoasuffix is a grammatical element in the Finnish language that indicates plurality. It is attached to the end of a noun or pronoun to show that more than one entity is being referred to. The most common joukkoasuffix in Finnish is "-t". For example, the singular word "talo" (house) becomes "talot" (houses) when the joukkoasuffix "-t" is added.

This suffix is used in the nominative, genitive, partitive, and accusative cases for plural nouns. The exact form of the joukkoasuffix can sometimes vary slightly due to consonant gradation or vowel harmony, but the core function of indicating plurality remains consistent. For instance, while "-t" is the base, it can appear as "-et" or "-it" in certain contexts to maintain vowel harmony within the word.

In addition to nouns, personal pronouns also use joukkoasuffixes to denote plurality. For example, the singular pronoun "minä" (I) becomes "me" (we), and the singular pronoun "sinä" (you) becomes "te" (you plural). This pervasive use of the joukkoasuffix is a key feature of Finnish grammar, ensuring that the number of entities is clearly marked in the language. Understanding the joukkoasuffix is fundamental for comprehending and constructing grammatically correct Finnish sentences.