The ending +ksi has many translations in English. It can be ”in” or ”to”, sometimes ”for” but sometimes ”by”. 🤯 Don’t panic- let me explain the meaning of the case ending ksi.

Basically +KSI means SOMETHING BECOMES the word that has the +ksi -> isoksi ja vahvaksi (to turn big and strong)

The +ksi is used, when the sentence tells of a change or a transition. Something changes from one state to another – say, from water to wine (vedestä viiniksi) , or from hot to cold. (kuumasta kylmäksi). Verbs that cause the noun or adjective to get the ending +ksi are eg. kasvaa (to grow), muuttua (to change, to turn into) valmistua (to graduate), but also ”tulla” meaning to become. See, Finnish does not have the verb ”to become”. Instead we use the verb “come”, but instead of coming from or coming to, we say “tulla +ksi” – and then it means become. Can you understand these sentences:

• Ruoka tulee kylmäksi.
• Hän tuli rikkaaksi!
• become better → tulla paremmaksi
• Hän tuli ensimmäiseksi!

Other examples of transforming into something:

• Minä opiskelen opettajaksi.
• Hän tulee helposti iloiseksi.
• Pojan kasvot muuttuivat punaiseksi.
• Ensi viikolla maalaan talon valkoiseksi.
  

MAGICAL ENDING 🪄

The translative ending goes well with magic. In English magicians turn things into other things. In Finnish Taikuri taikoo yhden toiseksi.

Taikuri taikoi keltaisen punaiseksi. 🎗️->🧣 

SEXY ENDING

Funny, but there seems to be a lot of seksi involved – punaiseksi, iloiseksi, lautaseksi ja suomalaiseksi. 😁 All words that end in the syllable nen become +seksi, but in plural +siksi.

Taikuri taikoi paperin kyyhkyseksi. 🕊️ / Taikuri taikoi paperin kyyhkysiksi. 🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️

TO HAVE A CERTAIN PURPOSE – “used as a” OR transforms to serve as..

The ksi ending can also express a purpose or intended use of something. Something is made to serve as something, so in a way it “transforms” to something. For example:

• Rakennan aidan suojaksi. → I’m building a fence for protection.
• Laitan lakanan pöytäliinaksi. → I’ll use the bed-sheet as a tablecloth.
• Valitsin tämän lahjaksi. → I chose this as a gift.

TRANSLATING – suomeksi vai englanniksi?

When you say something is said, written etc. in a language, in Finnish you’ll again need the ending +ksi. Kirjoitin sinulle kirjeen ruotsiksi. (I wrote you a letter in Swedish.) Compare “in Swedish” to ruotsissa – in Finnish the ending IN is closer to the meaning of inside.

Ruotsissa on suvut, suomessa ei means “There are grammatical genders in Swedish, but not in Finnish” So, if the sentence involves any translations, use the ending +ksi.

Oletko lukenut romaaneja suomeksi?       Have you read novels in Finnish?

But it is used also for deadlines and periods of time

When something has to be done for, due or by a time, Finnish requires the ending +ksi added to the time. This can be confusing for English speakers because English uses different words for these meanings.

vuodeksi = for a year

huomiseksi = by tomorrow

Tarvitsen auton viikonlopuksi. = I need a car for the weekend

COMPARE: perjantaina = on Friday / perjantaiksi = by Friday

The translative is also used when you say how long something is arranged or intended to last.

• Otan tämän kirjan viikoksi.
  → I’ll take this book for a week.
• Lähden Suomeen vuodeksi.
  → I’m going to Finland for a year.

Olen Suomessa viikon.
→ I’ll stay a week in Finland.

Menen Suomeen viikoksi.
→ I’m going to Finland for a week.

Haluaisin varata pöydän täksi illaksi.
→ I’d like to book a table for tonight.

SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS with KSI

Suomeksi	Englanniksi
lopuksi	in the end, finally	FRAASEJA
lisäksi	In addition	esimerkiksi	for example
aluksi	at first AND to begin with	terveydeksi	bless you
ensiksi	first, firstly	onneksi	luckily
toiseksi	secondly