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Learning Livvi

Nouns and their cases

Now, here comes a part that’s often tricky for English speakers to learn. Unlike English, in Livvi nouns have 16 different grammatical cases in both singular and plural form. Here they are demonstrated by the word "juna" (train), with the singular form listed first and the plural second:

Nominative: The basic dictionary form of a word (the subject, "who/what").
Juna
- Se on juna. (It’s a train.)
Junat
- Junat lähtietäh! (The trains are leaving!)

Genitive: [-n] Ownership, possession ("X's" or "of X").
Junan
- Se on junan vagona. (It’s a train's wagon.)
Junien
- Junien ukset on kiinni. (The doors of the trains are closed.)

Accusative: [- or -n] The target of a complete action, a total object.
Junan
- Näin junan. (I saw a train.)
Junat
- Näin junat. (I saw the trains.)

Partitive: [-(t)a -(t)ä] The target of an ongoing action or an incomplete object ("some").
Junaa
- Näin kymmene junaa. (I saw ten trains.)
- Vuotan junaa. (I'm waiting for the train.)
Junii
- Näin kymmenii junii. (I saw dozens of trains.)
- Vuotammo junii. (We're waiting for the trains.)
Inessive: [-s] Being inside something ("in").
Junas
- Junas on jo passažiiroi. (There are already passengers in the train.)
Junis
- Junis on jo passažiiroi. (There are already passengers in the trains.)

Elative: [-s -späi] Coming out of something ("out of", "from").
Junas(päi*)
- Passažiirat nostih junas. (The passengers stepped out of the train.)
Junis(päi*)
- Passažiirat nostih junis. (The passengers stepped out of the trains.)

Illative: [-h] Moving into something ("into").
Junah
- Nouzin junah. (I stepped into the train..)
Junih
- Myö nostih junih. (We stepped into the trains.)
Adessive: [-l] Being on something, at a place, or having something ("on", "at", "by").
Junal
- Example
Junil
- Example

Ablative: [-l -lpäi] From something, moving away from something ("from").
Junal(päi*)
- Example
Junil(päi*)
- Example

Allative:[-le] Onto or toward something ("to" or "onto").
Junale
- Example
Junile
- Example
Essive:[-nnu] Acting as a state or role ("as").
Junannu
- Example
Juninnu
- Example

Translative: [-kse] Changing or turning into a new state, transformation ("into").
Junakse
- Example
Junikse
- Example
Abessive: [-ttah] Lacking something ("without").
Junattah
- Example
Junittah
- Example

Comitative:[-nke] Being in company with something ("with").
Junanke
- Example
Junienke
- Example

Prolative: [-či] Traveling along a route or using a medium ("via" or "by way of").
Junači
- Example
Juniči
- Example

Instructive:[-n] Doing something by means of a tool or specific manner ("by", "with", "using").
(Not used in singular form)
Junin
- Häi tuli junin. (He came by train.)

* "-päi" is added if what is being talked about is a location or place (Minun pereh on lähtözin Salmispäi = My family is from Salmi.)

Note: In Livvi, we do not make a distinction between “a train” and “the train”. If you want to really emphasize that it’s a specific train you can add “se” or “tuo” before “juna” (se juna, tuo juna, = that train / ne junat, nuo junat = those trains), but that is not required. “Tuo” is preferred if whatever you’re talking about (such as the train) is currently present, and “se” if it is not (for example if you’re recalling past events).