II. It is also used in various expressions denoting time.
A. In such sentences as ‘year after year,’ ‘day after day.’ In Finnish the first word is put in the nominative and the second in the ablative. Päivä päivältä hän tulee kipeämmäksi, day by day he gets worse. Myrsky kiihtyy hetki hetkeltä, the storm grows stronger every hour. Odotan häntä tunti tunnilta, I expect him every hour.
B. In sentences expressing money earned in a given time. Hän saa kaksituhatta markkaa vuodelta, he receives two thousand marks a year. Maksavat rengille viisitoista ruplaa kuukaudelta, the servant is paid fifteen roubles a month.
C. The time from which anything begins. Kaupunki on viima vuosisadalta, the house dates from the last century. Niinkuin asetus tammikuun viidenneltä päivältä määrää, according to the provisions of the decree of January 5.
Similarly—Kello kuudelta aamulla nousin työtä tekemään, I begin to work at (that is, beginning from) six o’clock in the morning. Tulee pimeä jo kello neljältä, it gets dark at four o’clock.
III. It is used analogously to the adessive (No. IV), to express cessation from an occupation, game, or meal. Miehet tulivat ongelta, the men came home from fishing. Tulimme päivälliseltä, we came from dinner. Lapset lakkasivat sokkosilta, the children stopped playing blind man’s buff.
IV. The ablative denotes motion from a person or from his house. Vierahat tulivat teiltä, the strangers came from you. Palvelija tuli isännältä, the servant came from his master. Cf. Ostin tavaroita kauppamieheltä, I bought some goods of the merchant. So also Minä sain äidiltäni kirjeen, I received a letter from my mother. Kysyivät häneltä, they asked of him.
V. From the idea of separation the ablative comes to denote the person who loses anything or from whom anything is hidden, defended, etc. It becomes in fact very nearly what is called the ‘dativus incommodi’ in Latin Grammar. Häneltä kuoli äiti, his mother died (died from him). Ei Jumala kiellä lapsiltansa iloa, God does not forbid joy to his children. Ei tytär salaa äidiltänsä mitään, the daughter hides nothing from her mother.
VI. The cause which prevents an action is put in the ablative. Tyttö ei päässyt kotoa astiain pesulta, the maid could not leave the house because she had to wash the things. En jouda kesäisiltä kiirehiltä, I cannot come on account of the work that has to be done in summer. En voinut nukkua koiran haukunnalta, I could not sleep on account of the dogs barking.
VII. The ablative is also used to denote the part or quality with respect to which anything is predicated of an object. Hän on hyvä tavoiltansa, he has a good disposition. Munat ovat väriltään ja suuruudeltaan erilaisia, eggs are of different colours and sizes. Poika on iältään jo kymmenvuotias, the boy is ten years old (in his life). Tyttö on solakka varreltaan, the girl has a graceful figure. Ukko on vielä ketterä jalalta, the old man is still quick-footed. Tunnen hänen näöltä, I know him by sight. Mies on Matti nimeltä, the man is Matthew by name.