The most singular instance of this is, that the verbs signifying to remain or to leave invariably take this case, or the allative. To stay at home is jäädä kotiin, the original meaning of the verb having apparently been to go to a place and stay there. Similarly jättää, to leave behind, and unhottaa, when it is used in the same sense, take the illative. Jätin hattuni teaatteriin, I left my hat in the theatre. Unhotin rahakukkaroni kotiin, I left my purse at home.
II. The illative is used in two ways to denote time.
A. It denotes the end towards which a period is regarded as advancing, and can be translated by until or to. Pääsiäisestä on seitsemän viikkoa Helluntaihin, it is seven weeks from Easter to Whitsuntide. Kuu kiurusta kesään, it is a month from the time when the lark sings to summer (proverb). Vieläkö on pitkältä Jouloon? is it still long till Christmas?
In this sense it is often used with the preposition hamaan, or the postpositions asti and saakka. Tähän päivään saakka, up till that day; myöhään yöhön saakka, till late at night; hamaan viimeiseen päivään asti, till the day of one’s death.
B. The illative is also used idiomatically to express the space of time during which anything has not taken place. En ole nähnyt häntä kahteen vuoteen, I have not seen him for two years. En ole syönyt kunnolleen kolmeen päivään, I have not eaten properly for three days. Ei ole ollut näin kaunista syksyä miesmuistiin, there has not been such a fine autumn in the memory of man.
C. It is also used to express the period of time in which an action is performed. Ansaitsee viisi ruplaa viikkoonsa, he earns five roubles a week. In this use the suffix is nearly always added to the case, but the words aikaan, aikoihin, and puoleen (in compounds), and seutuun are used in expressing time loosely. Siihen aikaan, or näihin aikoihin, at that time. Joulun seutuun, about Christmas time. Talven puoleen, in winter time.
III, IV, V, VI. Like the inessive and elative, the illative is used in a variety of metaphorical expressions, when entrance into a state or condition is denoted. Joutua eksyksiin, to go into error, to go astray. Tulla toimeen, to get on, manage satisfactorily. Ei se käy laatuun, that is impossible. Joutua hukkaan, to perish. Ajoi hevosen uuvuksiin, he rode his horse till it was tired. So also it is used in speaking:—
(1) Of occupations, which are begun. Hän meni työhön, he went to his work; and also such expressions as mennä kalaan, to go fishing; mennä marjaan, to go berry gathering.
(2) Of the place on which anything is put. Upseeri pani hattunsa naulaan, the officer hung his hat on the peg. Vedä sappaat jalkaan, to put on one’s boots.