Learn Finnish: Luokassa on yksitoista pöytää ja kolmekymmentä tuolia. - There are eleven tables and thirty chairs in the class.

In Finnish, sentences that state where something is (like starting with luokassa) always use the singular verb on, even if there are many things. This is a special sentence structure often called an existential sentence.

Why are the words for tables and chairs in the partitive form (pöytää and tuolia)?

In Finnish, any number greater than one requires the noun following it to be in the partitive singular. Because we have eleven (yksitoista) and thirty (kolmekymmentä), the basic forms pöytä and tuoli change to their partitive forms pöytää and tuolia.

Why does the word for class (luokka) become luokassa with only one k?

This is due to a common rule called consonant gradation. When we add an ending like -ssa (in) to a word with a double consonant like kk, the double consonant usually weakens to a single k to make it easier to say.

How is the number kolmekymmentä (thirty) formed?