View source for Translative case

{{Short description|Grammatical case}}
{{One source|date=November 2025}}
In [[grammar]], the '''translative case''' ([[list of glossing abbreviations|abbreviated]] {{sc|'''transl'''}}) is a [[grammatical case]] that indicates a change in state of a noun, with the general sense of "becoming ''X''{{space|hair}}" or "change to ''X''{{space|hair}}".

In [[Finnish language|Finnish]], it is the counterpart of the [[essive case]], with the basic meaning of a change of state. It is also used for expressing "in (a language)", "considering it is a (status)" and "by (a time)". Its ending is ''-ksi'':
* ''pitkä'' "long", ''venyi pitkäksi'' "(it) stretched long"
* ''englanti'' "English", ''En osaa sanoa tätä englanniksi'' "I can't say this in English"
* ''pentu'' "cub", ''Se on pennuksi iso'' "For a cub, it is big"
* ''musta aukko'' "black hole", ''(muuttui) mustaksi aukoksi'' "(turned into) a black hole"
* ''kello kuusi'' "(at) six o' clock", ''kello kuudeksi'' "by six o' clock"

Examples in [[Estonian language|Estonian]], where the ending is ''-ks'':
* ''pikk'' "long", ''venis pikaks'' "(it) stretched long"
* ''must auk'' "black hole", ''(muutus/muundus) mustaks auguks'' "(turned into) a black hole"
* ''kell kuus'' "(at) six o' clock", ''kella kuueks'' "by six o' clock"
In Estonian, translative can also express a temporary or random state. E.g. while a nominative construction would indicate working in a job or profession, as ''olen koolis õpetaja'' "I'm a teacher in a school", a similar sentence using translative ''olen koolis õpetajaks'' "I work as a teacher in a school" hints at it either being a temporary position, the speaker not being fully qualified, or some other factor of impermanency.<ref>[https://www.eki.ee/books/ekk09/index.php?p=3&p1=4&id=166 Saav kääne] (Translative case), Eesti keele käsiraamat (The Handbook of Estonian Language), Eesti Keele Instituut, 2007</ref>

In [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]], the ending is -vá / -vé after a vowel; it assimilates to the final consonant otherwise:

* ''só'' "salt", ''Lót felesége sóvá változott'' "Lot's wife turned into salt"
* ''fiú'' "boy; son"  ''fiává fogad'' "adopt as one's son"
* ''bolond'' "fool"  ''bolonddá tett engem'' "He made a fool out of me."

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last= Karlsson |first= Fred |year= 2018 |title= Finnish - A Comprehensive Grammar |location= London and New York |publisher= Routledge |isbn= 978-1-138-82104-0}}
* {{cite web |last= Anhava |first= Jaakko |year= 2015 |title= Criteria For Case Forms in Finnish and Hungarian Grammars |location= Helsinki |website= journal.fi |publisher= Finnish Scholarly Journals Online |url= https://journal.fi/store/article/view/52392/16242}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Grammatical cases}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Translative Case}}
[[Category:Grammatical cases]]


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