Questions & Answers about Kuka tuo uusi ystävä on?
Why is the word on at the very end of the sentence?
In Finnish questions that start with a question word like kuka (who), the verb on (is) usually goes at the end of the sentence. This sentence literally translates to 'Who that new friend is?'.
Could I use mikä instead of kuka here?
No, because kuka is used exclusively for people (who). The word mikä means 'what' and is used for things. Since ystävä (friend) is a person, you must use kuka.
Why use tuo for 'that' instead of se?
Tuo is used to physically point out something or someone you can see, like 'that person over there'. The word se is usually translated as 'it' and is used for things you are already talking about but might not be looking at right now.
Why isn't there a word for 'a' or 'the' before uusi ystävä?
Finnish does not have articles like 'a', 'an', or 'the'. The words uusi ystävä simply mean 'new friend', 'a new friend', or 'the new friend' depending on the context.