Leipä on täällä.

to be

Breakdown of Leipä on täällä.

• täällä: here
• leipä: the bread

Questions & Answers about Leipä on täällä.

Why is it Leipä on täällä and not Täällä on leipä?

Both forms are actually possible in Finnish, but Leipä on täällä emphasizes the bread, indicating that you’re pointing it out. Täällä on leipä would be more like announcing the bread’s presence. In everyday Finnish, either version is understandable, though the first puts more focus on “Leipä”.

Is on used the same way as the English verb “is”?

Yes, on is the third-person singular form of the Finnish verb olla (“to be”). It directly corresponds to “is” in English, used for defining or stating the existence of something.

What is the difference between täällä and other location words like tässä or tuolla?

• Täällä means “here” in a broader sense, like “in this general location.”
• Tässä suggests “right here” in a very immediate sense, often used when something is within your reach.
• Tuolla means “over there,” indicating something a bit more distant from the speaker.

How do I pronounce Leipä correctly?

Break it into syllables: Lei-pä. Pronounce each vowel distinctly. The ei in Leipä sounds a bit like “ay” in “say” but shortened, and remember to produce the Finnish ä (similar to the “a” in “cat,” but more open).