…
Questions & Answers about Tämä lapsi on pieni.
Why is Tämä used here instead of Tuo or Se?
Tämä means "this" and emphasizes something that is close to the speaker. Tuo means "that" for something a bit farther away, and Se is a pronoun often used to refer to something already known in context. In this sentence, because the child is presumably near or present, Tämä is the correct choice.
Why doesn't the sentence have an article like "a" or "the"?
Finnish does not have definite or indefinite articles. Instead, the language relies on context and other structures to indicate specificity. So you won't see words like "the" or "a" in Finnish.
Is lapsi always a singular noun, or can it take a plural form?
Lapsi is the singular form meaning "child." The plural form is lapset, meaning "children." In this sentence, since we're talking about one child, lapsi is correct.
What is the role of on in this sentence?
On is the third-person singular form of the verb olla, which means "to be." In this sentence, it connects the subject Tämä lapsi ("this child") to the adjective pieni ("small").
Can the word order be changed without changing the meaning?
Generally, Tämä lapsi on pieni is the most straightforward way to say "This child is small." You might see variations like Pieni on tämä lapsi in more poetic or stylistic contexts, but the natural, neutral order in Finnish is subject + verb + complement.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Finnish grammar?”
Finnish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning FinnishMaster Finnish — from Tämä lapsi on pieni to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions