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Questions & Answers about Rintaneula kuuluu leskelle.
If the current lesson is about kenen (whose), can I use it to ask 'Whose brooch?' using this sentence's verb?
No, and this is a common trap! Because the verb kuulua (to belong) specifically requires the allative case (-lle), you cannot use the genitive kenen. Instead, you have to use kenelle (to whom): Kenelle rintaneula kuuluu? (Whom does the brooch belong to?).
Why is leski (widow) in the -lle form (leskelle)?
The verb kuulua (to belong to) always requires the owner to be in the allative case (the -lle ending). You are literally saying the brooch belongs to the widow. If you wanted to express ownership using a genitive instead, you would drop the verb and say Se on lesken rintaneula (It is the widow's brooch).
Rintaneula is a compound word. What do the two parts mean?
It is made up of rinta (chest or breast) and neula (needle or pin). So a "chest-pin" is a brooch.
I remember kuulua meaning 'to be heard', like in the greeting 'Mitä kuuluu?'. Why does it mean 'to belong' here?
The verb kuulua changes meaning based on the case of the word attached to it. When it is paired with the allative case (-lle), as in leskelle, it means 'to belong to'. When it is paired with the elative case (-sta/-stä, meaning 'out of'), it usually means 'to be heard from', for example: Musiikki kuuluu huoneesta (The music is heard from the room).