Learn Finnish: Minun täytyy pestä tämä peitto, koska se haisee pahalta. - I must wash this blanket because it stinks.

Verbs of perception (how things look, sound, feel, taste, or smell) require the descriptive word to be in the ablative case (-lta/-ltä). The verb haista (to smell/stink) is a perception verb, so 'it smells bad' becomes se haisee pahalta (literally 'it smells from bad').

Is there a difference between the verbs haista and tuoksua?

Yes! In Finnish, haista specifically implies a bad smell or a stink, just like the unwashed blanket in this sentence. If something smells pleasant, like fresh coffee, you use tuoksua. Both verbs follow the same grammar rule, so 'smells good' would be tuoksuu hyvältä.

Why does the sentence start with minun instead of minä?

The verb täytyy (must or have to) is a special necessity verb. It never changes its ending to match the person. Instead, it forces the subject of the sentence (the person who has to do something) into the genitive case (-n). So, 'I must' is always expressed as minun täytyy.

Since tämä peitto (this blanket) is the object being washed, shouldn't it have an -n ending like tämän peiton?