In Finnish, stating what is "probably" the case is done using the potential mood.
The Irregular Potential of Olla
The most common verb you will use to guess locations is olla (to be), which is completely irregular in the potential mood. Instead of a standard stem, its potential form is based on the old root lie-.
The third-person singular affirmative form is lienee (it probably is / he/she probably is). Use it in questions to wonder aloud, or in statements to make an educated guess.
| Where might the remote control be? | Missä kaukosäädin lienee? |
| Father's old wristwatch is probably here. | Isän vanha rannekello lienee täällä. |
Guessing Locations
You can use lienee exactly as you would use the standard on, simply replacing it to add the meaning of "probably." It pairs perfectly with standard location cases like the inessive (-ssa/-ssä) or adessive (-lla/-llä).
| Mother's handbag is probably in the hallway. | Äidin käsilaukku lienee eteisessä. |
| The bunch of keys is probably on the stairs. | Avainnippu lienee portailla. |
Lost and Missing Objects
When dealing with lost items, Finnish frequently uses two specific adverbs of location: hukassa (lost) and kateissa (missing). Combined with lienee, they form natural expressions for deducing that an object has been misplaced.
| Her handbag is probably still lost. | Hänen käsilaukkunsa lienee yhä hukassa. |
| My bunch of keys is probably missing. | Minun avainnippuni lienee kateissa. |
| The remote control is probably lost, if it is not on the sofa. | Kaukosäädin lienee hukassa, jos sitä ei ole sohvalla. |