Auto on uusi.

The car is new.

Breakdown of Auto on uusi.

• olla: to be
• uusi: new
• auto: the car

Questions & Answers about Auto on uusi.

Why is auto in the nominative case here rather than something like auton?

In a simple copular sentence (X on Y) with a subject and a predicate, we typically keep the subject in the nominative case. The form auton would be the genitive case (as in “the car’s”), which isn’t appropriate here, since the sentence is simply stating what the car is, not indicating possession.

What role does on play in this sentence?

On is the third-person singular form of the verb olla (to be). It translates to is in English and connects the subject (auto) with the adjective (uusi).

Does the adjective uusi change form depending on the noun?

Yes, adjectives in Finnish generally agree with the noun in case, number, and sometimes in other conditions. However, here it stays in its basic (nominative singular) form because it’s simply describing the subject (auto) in a standard X on Y statement.

Could I rearrange the words in this sentence?

In many simple statements, the most common and natural order is Auto on uusi. You could say Uusi on auto, but it would sound a bit off or emphasize uusi differently. The basic subject–verb–complement order is most typical.