Illative Case
Illative case: direction into (-Vn, -seen, -hin)
I can express direction into a place.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Menen kauppaan.
I go to the store.
Muutan Suomeen.
I'm moving to Finland.
Lapsi menee kouluun.
The child goes to school.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Illative Case
Answers 'where to? (into)'. The most complex ending: short vowel stems double the vowel + n (talo → taloon), long vowel stems add -seen or -hin. This is the 'inner directional' counterpart to inessive (-ssa = in).
Wrong illative ending (taloon vs talosen). Confusing illative with allative (-lle = onto surface).
Common Error Patterns
Wrong illative ending
Short vowel: double + n (taloon). Long vowel/diphthong: -seen or -hin.
Menen kauppaan.
I go to the store.
Kauppa → kauppaan (illative: -a doubles to -aa + n). Direction INTO.
Muutan Suomeen.
I'm moving to Finland.
Suomi → Suomeen (illative of Suomi, stem Suome- + -en).
Lapsi menee kouluun.
The child goes to school.
Koulu → kouluun (illative: -u doubles + n).
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises