polkuun

Polkuun is the illative case form of the Finnish noun polku, which means a path or trail. The illative indicates movement into or toward the interior of something named by polku, so polkuun marks “into the path” or “to the path.” In Finnish grammar, illative forms vary by stem, and for polku the form is polkuun, created by adding the illative suffix to the stem polku, with vowel harmony influencing the suffix choice.

Usage of polkuun is primarily with verbs of motion or entry, where the speaker wants to express movement toward a space defined by the path. Typical examples involve verbs such as mennä (to go) or astua (to step into). In everyday Finnish, however, speakers often use alternative expressions or cases, and other forms like polulle (onto the path) or polulla (on the path) may convey related spatial relations more naturally in some contexts.

Phonologically, polkuun ends with -uun, reflecting backward vowel harmony appropriate for a stem ending in -u. The combination polku + -uun yields the standard illative form polkuun.

As a grammatical form, polkuun does not constitute a separate concept; rather, it is one of the illative cases used to convey direction toward a space defined by the noun polku. Related forms include polku (nominative), polulla (adessive, on the path), and polulle (allative, onto the path). The noun polku itself can also appear in metaphorical or figurative expressions discussing life’s path or routes.