Questions & Answers about Tämä koira on hänen.
Why is there an -n at the end of hänen?
Hänen is the genitive (possessive) form of the pronoun hän (he/she). In Finnish, adding the -n ending to a noun or pronoun shows possession, turning "he/she" into "his/hers".
The translation says "his". Can hänen also mean "hers"?
Yes! The Finnish pronoun hän is gender-neutral, meaning it translates to both "he" and "she". Therefore, the genitive form hänen translates to both "his" and "hers" depending on who you are talking about.
What is the difference between Tämä koira on hänen and Tämä on hänen koira?
Just like in English, the word order changes the focus slightly. Tämä koira on hänen means "This dog is his," putting the focus on who owns the dog. Tämä on hänen koira means "This is his dog," which just identifies what the object is.
Why isn't koira in the genitive case if this sentence is about possession?
The dog is the thing being owned, not the owner! In Finnish, the genitive -n attaches to the owner (hän becomes hänen). The thing being owned (koira) stays in its basic dictionary form here.
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