toinen

Toinen is a native Finnish word used primarily as an ordinal numeral meaning second and as a determiner meaning the other in a paired set. In practice, it can indicate order in a sequence, as in counting or describing stages, and it can refer to the other item when two things are being contrasted.

As an ordinal numeral, toinen accompanies a noun to designate the second item in a series. For example, toinen kirja refers to “the second book.” It also appears in phrases like toinen kerta, meaning “the second time.” In these uses, toinen behaves like other Finnish numerals and adjectives, taking different case endings to fit the sentence.

As a determiner meaning “the other,” toinen is used when contrasting two items. For example, toinen auto means “the other car.” This usage is common in everyday speech when two options or objects are being discussed. The phrase toisensa is a related form that can mean “each other” in reflexive or reciprocal contexts.

Declension and variation follow Finnish patterns for numerals and adjectives; forms change with case, number, and definiteness. The plural form toisiksi or toiset is used for the nominative plural in some constructions, and genitive or partitive forms appear in other cases. In everyday language, however, most speakers rely on context and the accompanying noun to convey the precise meaning, whether second in sequence or the other one being referred to.

Related concepts include the cardinal first (ensimmäinen) and other ordinal numerals such as kolmas (third). The word toisena can function adverbially in phrases meaning “as the second” or “secondly.”