määrälliset

Määrälliset is a term used in Finnish linguistics to describe a semantic class of words that express quantity or amount. The category encompasses numerals (both cardinal and ordinal) and a range of quantifiers that specify how much or how many of something there is. In Finnish usage, these words function as modifiers within noun phrases or clauses, often determining the quantity rather than describing quality.

Within määrälliset, numerals such as yksi, kaksi, kolme (and their ordinal forms ensimmäinen, toinen, kolmas) are core members. They may precede the noun and interact with case and number, sometimes triggering particular noun inflection. Quantifiers such as paljon (a lot), vähän (a little), monta (many), monet (many), useita (several), muutama (a few) also belong to the class; some act as adverbs when modifying verbs or adjectives (paljon onnea, paljon paremmin). The exact behavior depends on the specific word and context.

Finnish does not use indefinite or definite articles; the meaning of quantity is typically conveyed by määrälliset together with demonstratives, possessives, or context. In cross-linguistic typology, this category overlaps with the universal notion of determiners and quantifiers found in many languages, though terminology differs. In some languages, quantifiers form a distinct syntactic class with separate agreement and inflection, while in others they merge with adjectives or numerals.

See also: Finnish grammar, Numerals in Finnish, Quantifiers in language.