The Indefinite Pronoun Kukin (Each)
In Finnish, the distributive indefinite pronoun kukin means "each" or "each one." You will often hear it used during tabletop games when assigning turns, dealing cards, or managing bets.
Like in English, kukin can stand completely alone as a pronoun, or it can be paired directly with a noun in the nominative case (such as pelaaja, player) to mean "each player."
| I shuffle the deck, and then each draws a card. | Minä sekoitan pakan, ja sitten kukin nostaa kortin. |
| Each player takes a new token and moves it onto the table. | Kukin pelaaja ottaa uuden pelimerkin ja siirtää sen pöydälle. |
The Genitive Form: Kunkin
The word kukin is composed of a root (ku-) and an attached suffix (-kin). When the pronoun declines into different grammatical cases, the case ending slips right into the middle, between the root and the suffix.
To form the genitive case (meaning "each's" or "of each"), you add the genitive -n after ku-, resulting in kunkin.
You will use kunkin to show possession, such as indicating whose turn it is. If kunkin modifies a noun, remember that the noun must also take the genitive case (e.g., kunkin pelaajan).
| It is each player's turn to roll the dice. | On kunkin pelaajan vuoro heittää noppaa. |
| It is each player's task to remember which trump is remaining. | Kunkin pelaajan tehtävä on muistaa, mikä valtti on jäljellä. |
You must also use the genitive kunkin when the grammatical structure of the sentence demands it. A very common trigger is the modal verb täytyy (must), which always requires its subject to be in the genitive case.
| Each must bet ten euros into the pot. | Kunkin täytyy panostaa kymmenen euroa pottiin. |
