Questions & Answers about Kenelle sinä annat lahjan?
How do we get kenelle from the basic word for "who"?
The basic word for "who" is kuka. To say "to whom", you use its stem kene- and add the allative ending -lle ("to" or "onto"). Just like English says "to whom", Finnish attaches the "to" meaning directly onto the question word!
Why is the verb annat instead of "antaat"?
The basic verb is antaa (to give). When you add the -t ending for "you", it triggers a spelling rule called consonant gradation. The strong nt in the middle softens into a weak nn, giving us annat.
Why does lahja (gift) have an -n at the end here?
The -n ending marks lahjan as the object of the sentence—the thing being given. This ending shows that you are giving one whole, complete gift, rather than just a part of something.
Can I put kenelle at the end of the sentence, like we do with "to" in English?
Not in Finnish! Question words like kenelle almost always have to go at the very beginning of the sentence. You can't leave the "to" at the end like in the English translation "Who do you give the gift to?".