I. The following suffixes are used to form substantives from verbs.

-ja. A factitive suffix, that is to say, denoting the doer of the action denoted by the root. Luoja, the creator (luo, to create). Kalastaja, a fisherman. When a root ends in e this letter is generally changed to i before the suffix -ja. Teke, to make, tekijÄ, a maker; luke, to read, lukija, a reader. This suffix is also found in the forms -jame (nominative -jan or -jain), -jaise (-jainen), -jaa.

-ri has the same meaning as -ja: myllÄri, a miller, juomari, a drunkard, petturi, a deceiver. (This is really a foreign termination from the Swedish -re.)

-ma (the termination of the third infinitive) expresses an action or the result of an action. Sanoma, report (“a speaking”), elÄmÄ, life, kuolema, death.

-mise (nominative minen, the termination of the fourth infinitive) expresses a continuous action, or an action in an abstract sense. Laulaminen, singing, elÄminen, living.

-nto, -nta (chiefly poetical), -nti (added to monosyllabic roots) express an action or a state arising from an action. Luonto, nature (from luo, to create), uskonto, religion (“believing,” from uskoa, to believe), tuonti, bringing to, or importation, vienti, bringing away from, or exportation, laulanta, singing.

o (Ö) and u (y) (before which the last vowel of the root is rejected) form abstract nouns denoting action. Muisto, memory, makso, payment, tulo, arrival, lÄhtÖ, departure, luku, reading, itku, weeping, maksu, payment.

-okse or -ukse (nominative -os or -us) also form abstract nouns expressing an action, and are specially added to trisyllabic verbs ending in -ta. Valmistus, preparation, harjoitus, practice, vastaus, answer. The same suffix is sometimes found in combination with -ma (-ma + ukse = mukse) juopumus, drunkenness.

-io has the same meaning. Huomio, attention, palkkio, a reward.

-ee (original stem ehe, closed form e?) expresses action or the product of action: puhe, conversation, kanne, accusation.

-ime (nominative -in) expresses the instrument with which an action is performed. Avain, a key (‘the opener’), uistin, a fishhook, viskain, anything used to throw things away, e.g. a bucket; viskin is also found.

II. The following suffixes are used to form derivative nouns from other nouns.

-se, -ise (nominative -nen, -inen) are used to form family names, like the Russian terminations -???, -???, Peltonen, Koskinen, Karhunen, etc.

-ttare (nominative -tar) is a similar affix for feminine names. Karhutar, Ilmatar (daughter of the air), Manalatar (daughter of death).

-laise (nominative -lainen) is used to form designations of nationality. Suomalainen, a Finn; Ruotsalainen, a Swede; VenÄlÄinen, a Russian; Englantilainen, an Englishman.

The following suffixes are used to form diminutives—

-se (nominative -nen), or ise (nominative -inen). Kirjanen, emonen, poikanen.

-lo. Purtilo, kotelo.

-ue, ye (originally ute, yte; nominative -ut, -yt). Poiut, kuuhut, pÄivyt, pÄÄhyt.

-kka, -kaise (nominative kainen). -kkee (original form -kkehe, nominative ke?). Annikka, mullikka, lapsukainen, silmÄke.

The following terminations have a local significance—

-kko or -ikko indicates a place where anything is found in a quantity; rapakko, a muddy place; kivikko, a heap of stones; koivikko, a birchwood; kuusikko, firwood.

-la, added to the name of a person, expresses the place where that person lives; pappila, a priest’s house; setÄlÄ, uncle’s house; tuonela, the house of death.

-nko or -nte is used to form local substantives. Alanko, a low-lying place (Alankomaat, the Netherlands), ylÄnkÖ, a height; tasanko, a plane.

Suffixes denoting a collection of objects are—

-sto, generally used of inanimate objects; kirjasto, a library; laivasto, a fleet; hongisto, pinewood.

-uee (original form uehe, nominative -ue?), generally used of animate objects; matkue, laivue, seurue.

III. Names of abstract qualities are formed from adjectives with the suffix -ute, -yte (nominative -us, -ys). Before this suffix a, Ä, e are changed to u or y, and form a long vowel; hyvyys, virtue (hyvÄ); rakkaus (from stem rakkaa); arkuus, cowardice; turhuus, vanity. If a root ends in i or ii this vowel generally becomes e in dissyllabic roots, and u in polysyllabic. Kalleus, but naapuruus, kumppanuus.