Postpositions & Prepositions
Postpositions (after noun) and prepositions: kanssa, ilman, lähellä, edessä, takana
I can use common postpositions correctly.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Menen ystävän kanssa kahville.
I go for coffee with a friend.
Koira on pöydän alla.
The dog is under the table.
Pärjään ilman apua.
I manage without help.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Postpositions & Prepositions
Most Finnish spatial words are postpositions (come AFTER the noun), unlike English prepositions. The noun usually takes genitive case. Exception: 'ilman' (without) is a preposition and takes partitive.
Putting postposition before the noun (English/German habit). Wrong case on noun with postposition.
Common Error Patterns
Placing postposition before noun
Most Finnish spatial words are POSTpositions: talon takana (house's behind), NOT takana talon.
Menen ystävän kanssa kahville.
I go for coffee with a friend.
Ystävä → ystävän (genitive) + kanssa (postposition). 'With' = genitive + kanssa.
Koira on pöydän alla.
The dog is under the table.
Pöytä → pöydän (genitive) + alla (postposition = under). Noun BEFORE postposition.
Pärjään ilman apua.
I manage without help.
Ilman (preposition — exception!) + apu → apua (partitive). 'Without' = ilman + partitive.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises