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.

Suffix

*-u / *-ü

1. 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

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
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

Derived terms

Proto-Finnic terms suffixed with *-u

Descendants

• Estonian: -u
• Finnish: -u
• Ingrian: -u