korkeaksi

Korkeaksi is the translative form of the Finnish adjective korkea, meaning high or tall. In Finnish grammar, the translative case expresses a change of state or condition, often used with verbs of becoming or turning into something. Therefore korkeaksi indicates “into a high/high state” and is typically used as a predicative complement after verbs such as tulla (to become), kasvaa (to grow), muuttua (to change), or kehittyä (to develop).

Morphology and usage notes: korkeaksi is the singular translative form. For plural subjects, the corresponding form is korkeiksi. The construction is used to describe a process of becoming tall or high rather than a static height. It is common in phrases like “tuli korkeaksi” (became tall/high) or “kasvoi korkeaksi” (grew tall/high). It is important to distinguish this from using korkea in sentences that express a simple height or quality without a change of state; for static height, suomalaiset would say “on korkea” (is tall/high).

Examples:

- Se kasvoi korkeaksi. (It grew tall/high.)

- Rakennukset tulivat korkeiksi. (The buildings became tall/high.)

Etymology and related forms: korkeaksi is derived from korkea plus the translative suffix -ksi. The related noun is korkeus (height), and other translative forms include korkeiksi for plural. The translative is one of several case-like endings used with adjectives to express changes of state in Finnish grammar.

See also: Finnish grammar, translative case, adjective declension.