Questions & Answers about Täällä on jokin, koska kuulen oudon äänen.
Why use jokin here instead of joku?
Jokin is the indefinite pronoun for things (meaning something), while joku is for people (meaning someone). Because the speaker hears a strange sound, they assume an unknown thing or animal is making it, so they use jokin.
Would a native speaker ever use joku in this sentence instead?
Yes! In formal written Finnish, there is a strict rule: jokin for things and joku for people. But in everyday spoken Finnish, people often use joku for both. You will very likely hear Finns say Täällä on joku even if they mean a thing.
Why does the end of the sentence use oudon äänen instead of the basic form outo ääni?
It is the direct object of the verb kuulen (I hear). In standard affirmative sentences where you hear a specific, whole sound, the object takes the -n ending. Both the adjective outo (strange) and the noun ääni (sound) must take this ending.
Why does the sentence start with täällä instead of tässä?
Täällä refers to a larger, general area (like somewhere around here or in this room). If you used tässä, you would mean a very specific spot, like right here in my hand or pointing at an exact location.