The object of a negative sentence is always in the partitive, and so is any amount that is not a whole countable thing (some coffee, a bit of bread). Add -a/-ä or -ta/-tä to the word: liha becomes lihaa, vesi becomes vettä.
Examples
- En syö lihaa.
- I don't eat meat.
- Juon kahvia.
- I'm drinking (some) coffee.
- Vähän leipää, kiitos.
- A little bread, please.
- Haluaisin vettä.
- I'd like some water.
The mistake to avoid
Saying 'en syö liha' - after a negative the object can never stay in the dictionary form.
Where this fits in
Food & ordering, Finnish A1: Order at a café or restaurant, ask for the bill, and talk about basic food and drink.