Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Finnish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Auto on kallis.
Why is Auto on kallis missing an article like the or a?
In Finnish, nouns never require articles. There is no direct equivalent of the or a, so we simply say Auto on kallis without adding words for articles.
How is the verb on used here?
On is the third-person singular form of the Finnish verb olla (to be). So Auto on kallis literally translates to Car is expensive, though the meaning in English is understood as The car is expensive.
How do I make the sentence negative?
To form the negative, use the negative verb ei plus the main verb in its appropriate form. In this case, on changes to ole in the negative. The negative sentence would be Auto ei ole kallis (The car is not expensive).
Can I add an adverb to make the car sound even more expensive?
Absolutely. For instance, you can add the adverb hyvin (very) to say Auto on hyvin kallis, meaning The car is very expensive.