toivomien

Toivomien is a Finnish inflectional form that appears in nominal phrases derived from the root toivo, meaning wish or hope. In standard Finnish, the most common genitive plural of toivo is toivojen, but toivomien occurs in certain contexts, particularly in older texts, formal prose, or dialectal usage. The form is thus mainly of interest for linguistic description and for readers studying Finnish morphology and syntax.

Morphology and usage

Toivomien is generally interpreted as the genitive plural of toivo within a specific inflection class, and it tends to appear in constructs that express relation to multiple wishes. Because it is less common in everyday speech, it often surfaces in written or ceremonial language. In contemporary formal Finnish, speakers more frequently use toivomusten mukaan to mean “according to the wishes,” while toivomien mukaan is recognized as grammatically correct in the right stylistic or regional contexts.

Examples and note on variation

Possible contexts for toivomien include phrases such as toivomien asioiden toteutuminen (the realization of the wishes’ matters) or toivomien mukaan päätökset tehdään (decisions are made according to the wishes). Users should be aware that the preferred modern form in most contexts is toivomusten mukaan, and toivomien is often regarded as archaic, stylistic, or dialectal.

See also

Finnish grammar, genitive case, toivo, toivomus

References

Linguistic reference on Finnish noun inflection and genitive plural forms.