A2 Finnish GrammarObject Pronouns (Accusative & Partitive)
Master Finnish object pronouns and learn when to use accusative versus partitive case. Finnish expresses 'me', 'you', 'him', 'her' through case endings on pronouns. Understanding when to use minut (accusative) versus minua (partitive) is essential for correct Finnish.
1Personal Pronouns as Objects
Finnish personal pronouns change form when used as objects. The two main object cases are accusative (for complete actions) and partitive (for incomplete, ongoing, or negative actions). The accusative forms end in -t for singular pronouns, while partitive forms use -a/-ä.
Object Pronoun Forms
| Subject | Accusative | Partitive |
|---|---|---|
| minä (I) | minut | minua |
| sinä (you) | sinut | sinua |
| hän (he/she) | hänet | häntä |
| me (we) | meidät | meitä |
| te (you pl.) | teidät | teitä |
| he (they) | heidät | heitä |
Examples
Hän näki minut kadulla.
He/she saw me on the street.
minut = accusative (complete action)
He kutsuivat meidät juhliin.
They invited us to the party.
meidät = accusative plural
Tunnetko hänet?
Do you know him/her?
hänet = accusative in question
Näitkö sinut peilissä?
Did you see yourself in the mirror?
sinut = accusative (completed action)
2Accusative vs. Partitive Choice
The choice between accusative and partitive depends on the completeness of the action. Use accusative when the action is complete, successful, or affects the whole object. Use partitive for ongoing actions, incomplete results, negation, and with certain verbs that always take partitive.
When to Use Each Case
| Use | Case | Example |
|---|---|---|
| complete action | accusative | Löysin sinut. (I found you.) |
| ongoing action | partitive | Etsin sinua. (I am looking for you.) |
| negation | partitive | En nähnyt häntä. (I did not see him/her.) |
| emotion verbs | partitive | Rakastan sinua. (I love you.) |
Examples
Odotan sinua.
I am waiting for you.
sinua = partitive (ongoing action)
En tunne heitä.
I do not know them.
heitä = partitive (negation)
Autan sinua huomenna.
I will help you tomorrow.
sinua = partitive (auttaa takes partitive)
Pelkään häntä.
I am afraid of him/her.
häntä = partitive (emotion verb)
3Verbs That Always Take Partitive
Some Finnish verbs always require their object in the partitive case, regardless of whether the action is complete. These include emotion verbs (rakastaa, vihata, pelätä), some communication verbs (kiittää, odottaa), and verbs of seeking or wanting (etsiä, tarvita, haluta).
Partitive-Requiring Verbs
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| rakastaa | to love | Rakastan sinua. |
| vihata | to hate | Hän vihaa minua. |
| odottaa | to wait for | Odotan teitä. |
| auttaa | to help | Autan häntä. |
| tarvita | to need | Tarvitsen sinua. |
| kiittää | to thank | Kiitän teitä. |
Examples
Tarvitsen sinua tänään.
I need you today.
tarvita always takes partitive
Kiitän teitä avusta.
I thank you for the help.
kiittää always takes partitive
Ikävöin sinua.
I miss you.
ikävöidä takes partitive
Häiritsenkö minua?
Am I disturbing you?
häiritä takes partitive
4Pronoun Position and Usage
Object pronouns typically come after the verb in Finnish, but they can move for emphasis. In questions and negative sentences, the pronoun follows the verb auxiliary. Unlike in English, Finnish does not have separate subject and object pronoun forms - the same stem takes different case endings.
Pronoun Positions
| Sentence Type | Order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| statement | verb + object | Näen sinut. |
| question | verb + object | Näetkö minut? |
| negative | neg + verb + object | En näe sinua. |
| emphasis | object + verb | Sinut minä rakastan! |
Examples
Ymmärrätkö minua?
Do you understand me?
minua follows question verb
Emme tunne heitä.
We do not know them.
heitä after negative verb
Hänet valitsimme johtajaksi.
Him/her we chose as leader.
hänet fronted for emphasis
Minua hän ei kuunnellut.
Me, he/she did not listen to.
minua fronted for contrast