# Partitive vs Accusative



## Распутин

In German, they say "Ich liebe *d*ich", whereas in Finnish they say "(Minä) rakastan sinu*a*".

In the finnish sentence it uses the partitive case for the pronoun "you", but in the German sentence it uses the accusative pronoun.

So uh, I know the partitive case implies partiality, but in such a sentence, you're being very direct in what you mean, wouldn't it make sense if one was to say "Rakastan sinut"?

So, what's with it?


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## 880320

Распутин said:


> In German, they say "Ich liebe *d*ich", whereas in Finnish they say "(Minä) rakastan sinu*a*".
> 
> In the finnish sentence it uses the partitive case for the pronoun "you", but in the German sentence it uses the accusative pronoun.
> 
> So uh, I know the partitive case implies partiality, but in such a sentence, you're being very direct in what you mean, wouldn't it make sense if one was to say "Rakastan sinut"?
> 
> So, what's with it?


The partitive case is very commonly used with Finnish verbs; although it can mean a partial kind of activity this isn't always the case. In many cases the accusative case of such languages as German or Russian corresponds to the partitive in Finnish.

I would say that the difference between the partitive and accusative cases in Finnish is somewhat similar to the difference between the two verb aspects in Russian; for instance:

1. "Пишу письмо." -- "Kirjoitan kirjettä."
("пишу" is imperfective -- "kirjettä" is partitive)
2. "Напишу письмо." -- "Kirjoitan kirjeen."
("напишу" is perfective -- "kirjeen" is accusative)


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## sakvaka

_Rakastaa_ and _vihata_ are thought to be continuous actions in Finnish. They only take total objects (accusative) when the action is seen complete, for example in this very hypothetical and prosaic example, "Rakastan sinut kuoliaaksi."

But don't worry, almost all other feeling verbs take a separate case (eg. elative). _Pitää, nauttia, välittää jst_).


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## Hakro

As 883020 said, partitive and accusative case often give a more or less different meaning. For example:

Accusative: _Minä nain sinut_ (I'll marry you)
Partitive: _Minä nain sinua _(I'll f**k you)


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## locutus

sakvaka said:


> _....._when the action is seen complete, for example in this very hypothetical and prosaic example, "Rakastan sinut kuoliaaksi."...


 
...I see why that would be in the accusative.. referring to a completed action, albeit completed in the future.....but I have a question about the word, _"kuoliaaksi"_. It seems to be a "fixed-form" adverb. Right??? Though I did start by thinking it was a translative case noun. And it does seem to be acting like a "translative" noun, at least to me..... 

The meaning I get out of this...literally translated....is, "I am loving/ will love you into death." Though I guess the "grammatical distance" been an adverb and an indirect object can be rather "short".....

Any ideas about the etymology of the word...._"kuoliaaksi"_?


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## Ben Jamin

880320 said:


> 1. "Пишу письмо." -- "Kirjoitan kirjettä."
> "пишу" is imperfective = I write or I am writing (present tense)
> "Напишу письмо." = I will write (future tense)


 
Perfective verbs do not have present tense in Russian or in other Slavic languages.


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