See Table 1 for a more complete description of possessives.

Prepositions and postpositions. In English, words like in, on, with, before, and after are prepositions. They come before a noun. For example, in the house.

Depending on the various grammar rules, Finnish prepositions may appear in one of three ways:

• They may come before the noun. For example, ennen sotaa (before the war).
  
• They may come after the noun. (In this case, it is called a postposition.) For example, sodan jälkeen(after the war).
  
• They may be added to the noun. For example Helsinki becomes Helsinkiin (into Helsinki). Table 2, on the next page, contains other examples.
  

Word endings. Endings are also added to words for other grammatical purposes. See Tables 1 and 3 for other examples.

Table 1. Possessive Endings

Possessive and Ending	Meaning	Examples: talo (house), talossa (in the house)	Translation
minun, -ni	my	talo » minun talonitalo » minun talossani	house » my househouse » in my house
sinun-, si	your (singular)	talo » sinun talositalo » sinun talossasi	house » your househouse » in your house
hänen, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n	his, her	talo » hänen talonsatalo » hänen talossansatalo » hänen talossaan	house » his (her) househouse » in his (her) househouse » in his (her) house
meidän -mme	our	talo » meidän talommetalo » meidän talossamme	house » our househouse » in our house
teidän, -nne	your (plural)	talo » teidän talonnetalo » teidän talossanne	house » your househouse » in your house
heidn, -nsa, -nsä or double vowel + n	their	talo » heidän talonsatalo » heidän talossansatalo » heidän talossaan	house » their househouse » in their househouse » in their house

Table 2. Prepositional Endings on Nouns

Ending	Basic Meaning	Example	Translation
-a, -ä, -ta, -t	of, some	suku » sukua	family » of a family
-in	by means of, with	oma käsi » omin ksin	one’s own hands » with one’s own hands
-ine + a possessive ending (see Table 1)	together with	lapsi » lapsinensa or lapsineen	child » together with his (her or their) children
-ksi	changed into, become	vaimo » otti vaimoksi	wife » took for a wife or became a wife
-lla, -llä	at, by, in	Tampere » Tampereella	Tampere » in (at) Tampere
-lle	to	Tampere » Tampereelle	Tampere » to Tampere
-lta, -ltä	from	Tampere » Tampereelta	Tampere » from Tampere
-n	of	talo » talon väki	house » people of the house
-na, -nä	as	lapsi » lapsena	child » as a child
-ssa, -ssä	in	Helsinki » Helsingissä	Helsinki » in Helsinki
double vowel + n	into	Helsinki » Helsinkiin	Helsinki » into Helsinki
-sta, -stä	from	Helsinki » Helsingistä	Helsinki » from Helsinki

Table 3. Other Word Endings

Ending	Basic Meaning	Example	Translation
-t	forms a plural	talo » talot	house » houses
-ko, -k	indicates a question	Helsingissä » Helsingissäkö	in Helsinki » in Helsinki?
-ton	without, -less, un-	lapsi » lapseton	child » childless
-tta, -ttä (on verbs)	without	nähdä » näkemätt	to see » without seeing
-n, -t	shows a direct object	talo » näen talon talo » näen talot	house » I see the house house » I see the houses

Ending: -lla, -ll followed by a form of the verb olla (to be): on, ei ole, oli, ei ollut, on ollut, or ei ole ollut
Basic Meaning: shows possession or ownership (to have)

Example	Translation
Anna » Annalla on	Anna » Anna has
Anna Toivonen » Anna Toivosella oli	Anna Toivonen » Anna Toivonen had
minä » munulla on ollut	I » I have had
sinä » sunulla oli	you (singular) » you had
hän » hänell oli	he/she » he/she had
me » meillä ei ole ollut	we » we have not had
te » teillä on	you (plural) » you have
he » heillä ei ole	they » they do not have