Proto-Finnic locative system
The reconstructed locative cases of Proto-Finnic can be classified according to a three-way contrast in each of the two series of locative cases: inner –s- and outer –l-, to give the following system of six locative cases.
| System | Entering | Residing | Exiting |
| Inner | sVn "into" | ssA "in" | stA "from " |
| Outer | *len, *lek? "onto" | llA "on" | ltA "from on" |
In the above, A stands for either a or ä depending on vowel harmony, and V for an epenthetic vowel. Note that -nA is reconstructible as the Proto-Finno-Ugric locative marker, -tA the separative , and –n, –s or –k the lative.
This system is probably a Finnic innovation, although the –s and –l cases have corresponding forms in some other Uralic languages.
