Koira leikkii ulkona.

the dog

Breakdown of Koira leikkii ulkona.

• leikkiä: to play
• ulkona: outside

Questions & Answers about Koira leikkii ulkona.

Why is "koira" here and not "koiran"?

In Finnish, when the subject of the sentence is performing an action, it’s typically in the nominative case (the basic form). Koira means “dog” in its nominative singular form. Koiran is the genitive form (possessive), used for different functions such as indicating ownership (e.g., koiran talo = “the dog’s house”).

What is the meaning of "leikkii"?

Leikkii is the third-person singular present tense of the verb leikkiä (“to play”). The structure is "he/she/it plays" in English.

Why does "leikkii" end with "-ii"?

In Finnish, third-person singular present tense verbs often end with -aa, -ää, or -ii, depending on verb type and the preceding vowel or consonant changes. For the verb leikkiä, the stem is leikki-, and when conjugated in third-person singular present, it becomes leikkii (sometimes also explained as leikki + (verb ending) i → leikkii).

What does "ulkona" mean in this context?

Ulkona literally means “outside”. In Finnish, the suffix -na (or -nä when preceded by a vowel that requires front vowel harmony) indicates a fixed state in a place. So ulkona means “in the state of being outside.”

Is there another way to express that the dog is playing outside?

Yes. For example, you might say “Koira on ulkona leikkimässä” (The dog is outside playing). However, Koira leikkii ulkona is perfectly natural and concise.