Expressing "To Have" (Possession)
Finnish does not have a verb for "to have". Instead, express possession with a structure that literally translates to "on someone is".
Owner + on + Item
The owner takes the adessive case (-lla / -llä). For pronouns, this creates forms like minulla (I have / on me is), sinulla (you have), hänellä (he/she has), meillä (we have), teillä (you plural/formal have), and heillä (they have).
The verb remains singular (on) even when listing multiple items.
| I have a brother and a sister. | Minulla on veli ja sisko. |
| He has an old watch. | Hänellä on vanha kello. |
Nouns as Owners
The same structure applies when the owner is a noun. Simply attach the adessive ending -lla / -llä.
| The girl has a new bike. | Tytöllä on uusi pyörä. |
| The teacher has a good idea. | Opettajalla on hyvä idea. |
Asking Questions: "Do you have...?"
To ask if someone has something, start the sentence with Onko followed by the owner.
Onko + Owner + Item?
| Do you have a brother? | Onko sinulla veli? |
| Does the student have a pen and a computer? | Onko opiskelijalla kynä ja tietokone? |
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