naapuriin

Naapuriin is the illative form of the Finnish noun naapuri, meaning “to the neighbor” or “to the neighbor’s place.” In Finnish grammar, the illative case marks movement toward a place or location, so naapuriin is used when someone moves into or toward the neighbor’s residence or vicinity.

Formation and notes: The noun naapuri takes the standard illative suffix -iin, yielding naapuriin. Because the stem ends with -i, the suffix adds another -i, resulting in the double i in the middle of the word. This pattern is typical for Finnish words that end in -i and take the illative suffix.

Usage: Naapuriin is commonly used with verbs of motion, such as mennä (to go), käydä (to visit), or tulla (to come), when the destination is the neighbor’s place. Examples include: “Menen naapuriin kahville” (I’m going to the neighbor’s for coffee) and “Hän meni naapuriin auttamaan” (They went to the neighbor’s to help). The form can also appear in more general phrases that specify moving toward a neighbor’s residence, though speakers may alternatively use expressions like “naapurinsa luo” or “naapurin luokse” depending on nuance.

Relation to other forms: Naapuri is the base noun meaning “neighbor.” Related case forms include naapurissa (in the neighbor’s place), naapurista (from the neighbor’s place), and naapurille (to the neighbor). These forms illustrate how Finnish marks different spatial relations through case endings.

See also: Finnish grammar, illative case, naapuri.