partitiv

Partitiv, or partitive, is a grammatical category used in certain languages to indicate partial quantity, indefinite reference, or non-completed objects. It is commonly described as a partitive case or partitive construction, though its exact status and realization differ between languages.

In Finnic languages such as Finnish and Estonian, the partitive is central. In Finnish, the partitive can mark direct objects that are not considered complete, objects affected by negation, or ongoing actions, and it often interacts with other inflectional categories. In Estonian, the partitive conveys similar notions of partial quantity and non-total reference. In other languages, the term partitive describes a broader set of constructions that mark a part of a whole or an indeterminate amount. In some Scandinavian languages, a form analogous to a partitive exists, sometimes described as “partitiv” in grammar descriptions, but its exact use may be more limited or integrated with other cases.

Functions commonly associated with the partitiv include indicating a portion of a whole, an indefinite quantity, or a non-total object; marking objects of negation; signaling ongoing or non-completed actions; and aligning with particular verbs or quantifiers. The precise morphology—suffixes, prepositions, or word order—varies by language.

The concept is distinct from nominative or accusative case and is often analyzed as a morphosyntactic category that expresses part-whole relations, indefiniteness, or aspect.

See also: Partitive case, Partitive object, Finnish grammar, Estonian grammar.