II. It is used to express the time within which anything occurs. Viidessä viikossa, in five weeks. Valmistuuko työ kahdessa päivässä, finish the work in two days. Pietarista Hatsinaan voi matkustaa puolessa toista tunnissa, one can go from Petersburg to Gatchina in an hour and a half.
III. From expressing the place in which the subject is, it is used by a natural transition to express the surroundings, state, or condition of anything. Thus it is employed in speaking of the weather. Olin ulkona tuulessa ja sateessa, I was out in the wind and rain. Minä ajoin hevosella lumessa ja tuiskussa, I drove in a snow storm.
Also in a number of metaphorical expressions. Olla eksyksissä, to be in error; olla hyvässä kunnossa, to be in good condition; olla hyvässä turvassa, to be safe; olla hyvissä voimissa, to be prosperous. Te olette oikeassa ja minä olen väärässä, you are right and I am wrong. Olen ollut pari tuntia kovassa päänkivistyksessä, I had a violent headache for a couple of hours. Kello on epäjärjestyksessä, the watch is out of order. Siinä tapauksessa, in that case. Kaikki on mieli melkeässä, Ajatukset arvoisessa (Kal. v. 177).
IV. In a number of expressions the inessive is used where the adessive would seem more natural to express close connection between two objects, particularly in the case of one thing being fixed or hung on another. Kala on ongessa, the fish is on the hook. Takki on naulassa, the coat is hung on the nail. Pitäkää hattu päässä, keep your hat on your head. Hänellä ei ollut saappaita jalassa, he had no boots on his feet.
V. It also expresses the occupation in which one is engaged. Poika on työssä, the boy is at work. Cf. Olla pidoissa, häissä, to be at a banquet or marriage. Notice such idiomatic phrases as olla kalassa, to be fishing; olla heinässä, to be making hay; olla marjassa, to collect berries. It is noticeable that the verb käydä, to go to, or frequent, is generally followed by the inessive. Käydä kirkossa, to go to church; käydä katsomassa, to go to sea.
VI. It is also used to express that an object is covered or soiled with some liquid. Nenänsä on veressä, his nose is bleeding. Silmät ovat vesissä, the eyes are full of tears. Sinun otsas hiessä pitää sinun syömän leipää, in the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread. Cf. also the expression Järvi on jäässä, the lake is frozen.
VII. It is used to express that certain qualities reside in a man. Hänessä on jaloutta, he is noble (nobility is in him). Sinussapajo onkin koko mies, you are a man worth the name. Ei ole lapsessa heinän niittäjätä, a child cannot be a haycutter. Teissä on kuume, you are feverish.
Elative.
As the inessive expresses properly rest in something, so the elative expresses motion from the interior of something. Many of its uses correspond to those of the inessive already described.