Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/-u

This Proto-Finnic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Finnic

Etymology

From Proto-Uralic *-w. Originally *-o was the result when the Proto-Uralic suffix was added to a-stems, like *-u was the result when added to stems with other vowels (ä, e/i), but this system broke down by Proto-Finnic and both suffixes could be used with any vowels (with less of an apparent pattern), although a tendency may have remained.

Suffix

*-u / *-ü

Forms nouns from adjectives, nouns, and verbs, most commonly from e-stems.
‎*karhëda (“coarse”) + ‎*-u → ‎*karhu (“bear (originally euphemistic)”)

‎*mäntä (“mixing utensil made of the top of a young pine")”) + ‎*-u → ‎*mäntü (“pine tree”)

‎*itkedäk (“to cry, weep”) + ‎*-u → ‎*itku (“cry, weeping”)

Inflection

Inflection of *-u

	singular	plural
Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
nominative	*-u	*-ut
accusative	*-un	*-ut
genitive	*-un	-udën -uidën
partitive	*-uda	*-uida
inessive	-ussa -uhna	-uissa -uihna
elative	*-usta	*-uista
illative	*-uhën	*-uihën
adessive	*-ulla	*-uilla
ablative	*-ulta	*-uilta
allative	-ulën -ulëk	-uilën -uilëk
essive	*-una	*-uina
translative	*-uksi	*-uiksi
instructive	*-un	*-uin
comitative	*-unëk	*-uinëk
abessive	*-utta	*-uitta