Breakdown of Lapsilla on oikeus oleskella ja laiskotella rauhassa.
olla
to be
ja
and
lapsi
child
rauha
peace
oikeus
the right
oleskella
to hang around
laiskotella
to laze around
Questions & Answers about Lapsilla on oikeus oleskella ja laiskotella rauhassa.
Both oleskella and laiskotella end in -ella. Does this ending have a specific meaning?
Yes, the -ella or -ellä ending creates a frequentative verb. This means the action is continuous, repeated, or casual. For example, olla means to be, but oleskella means to hang around or to spend time. Similarly, laiskotella comes from laiska (lazy) and means to laze around rather than doing a single lazy act.
Why do we use the basic dictionary form (first infinitive) for oleskella and laiskotella here?
The noun oikeus (right) naturally pairs with the first infinitive when you are expressing the right to do something. So oikeus oleskella strictly translates to the right to hang around.
Why is rauha (peace) in the inessive case (rauhassa)?
The inessive case (ending in -ssa or -ssä) often translates to in or inside, and it is used here to describe the state or condition the children are in. Rauhassa is a very common fixed expression meaning in peace or left alone.
Could we say Lapset omistavat oikeuden instead of Lapsilla on oikeus?
Not naturally. Finnish does not use the verb omistaa (to own) for abstract rights. To express that someone has something, Finnish consistently uses the adessive case plus on (at someone is). Therefore, lapsilla on is the only natural way to say children have in this context.
Learn Lapsilla on oikeus oleskella ja laiskotella rauhassa and more in Finnish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free