Derivation
In Finnish language, derivation is a typical way of word formation. When other languages has numerous words, in Finnish they are formed by adding affixes to root. For example:
examples of derivation
| kirja | book |
| kirjailija | author/writer |
| kirjallisuus | literature |
| kirjasto | library |
| kirjallinen | literary/written |
| kirjoittaa | to write |
| kirjoitus | writing |
Do not mix up these affixes with inflections (such as different cases) or conjugations (such as different verb forms). These affixes are used to change aspect or class and to form new words from old ones. It's important to know the common suffixes, because they are essential part of Finnish, and it makes understanding lot easier.
Remember also the vowel harmony.
Nouns
| -la | a place |
|---|
| ruokala | canteen |
| mummola | "grandmothers place" |
| -llinen | "full of something" |
|---|
| kourallinen | a handful |
| lastillinen | a truck-load |
| laatikollinen | a boxful |
| -nen | "small thing" |
| kalanen | a little fish |
| tyttönen | a little girl |
| -tar | femine |
| kuningatar | queen |
| laulajatar | a songstress, female singer |
| tarjoilijatar | a waitress |
¨
Verbs become nouns
| -ja | "who does something" |
| laulaja | a singer |
| lang="fi" translate="no"kävelijä | a walker, pedestrian |
| juoksija | a runner |
Nouns become adjectives
| -lainen | what kind of, nationality |
| suomalainen | finnish, a Finn |
| englantilainen | english, an Englisman |
| tyhmänlainen | foolish |
| sellainen | "that kind of" |
| -llinen | related to something |
| kuninkaallinen | royal |
| -mainen | what kind of |
| tyttömäinen | girly |
| kuitumainen | fibre-like |
Adverbs
| -ton | "without something" |
| painoton | weightless |
| iloton | cheerless |
| pennitön | penniless |
| -isin | habitual |
| aamuisin | in the mornings |
| maanantaisin | every monday |
| -sti | adverbs expressing how |
| kauniisti | beautifully, "in a beautiful way" |
| nopeasti | fast |
Verbs
| -ista | th>kausative
| kaunistaa | to make beautiful |
| jalostaa | to refine, to sophisticate |
| -istu | refleksive |
|---|
| laiskistua | to become lazy |
| -skella | frequent |
| istuskella | to sit around |
| -ne | to become something gradually |
| pienetä | diminish |
| kylmetä | to cool down |
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