1. In the accusative;
2. In the partitive;
3. In the nominative.
_By accusative is meant that case which corresponds in the singular with
the genitive, and in the plural with the nominative._
I. The total object of an active finite verb, in any mood but the
imperative, is put in the accusative, unless it is a cardinal number.
=Hän myi hevosen=, _he sold the horse_. =Veljeni panee rahat taskuun=,
_my brother puts the money in his pocket_. =Ammuin pyyt metsässä=, _I
shot the partridges in the wood_; but =ammuin viisi pyytä=, _I shot five
partridges_.
II. The Object is put in the partitive if it is partial, whatever the
verb may be. From what has been said above it will be seen that this
implies that the partitive must be used:—
(1) When the object is strictly speaking partial and denotes a part of
something, not a whole. =Antakaa minulle maitoa=, =teetä=, etc., _give
me some milk_, _some tea_, etc. =Hän söi leipää ja voita=, _he ate some
bread and butter_. =Isä antoi rahaa pojalle=, _the father gave the boy
some money_.
(2) When the verb is negative. =En saanut kirjaa=, _I did not receive the
book_. =Me emme tunne ystävääsi=, _we do not know your friend_. =Älä revi
kirjaa=, _don’t tear the book_. =Lasta ei rakasteta=, _the child is not
loved_.
(3) When the action of the verb is continuous and not finished. =Hän
lukee kirjaa=, _he is reading the book_. =Seppä takoo rautaa=, _the smith
is hammering the iron_. =Hän juuri toimittaa sitä asiata=, _he is just
now doing the business_. Often there is a difference in the meaning of
a verb, according as it is followed by the accusative or partitive; the
former denoting that the action is more complete. =Han löi koiraa=, _he
~struck~ the dog_; but =hän löi koiran=, _he ~killed~ the dog_. =Hän repi
kirjaa=, _he ~tore~ the book_; but =repi kirjan=, _he ~tore~ the book
~to pieces~_. A great many verbs never take a total object, because from
the nature of their signification, their action cannot be definite and
complete, but must be regarded as continuous. This is especially the case
with verbs expressing a feeling. =Niin rakasti Jumala maailmaa=, _so God
loved the world_. =Neuvoin ystävääni olemaan menemättä=, _I advised my
friend not to go_. =Odotin häntä kaksi tuntia=, _I waited two hours for
him_. =Seurasin häntä Helsinkiin asti=, _I followed him to Helsingfors_.
=Vihatkaatte pahaa=, _hate evil_.