Lapsi leikkii ulkona usein.

The child plays outside often.

Breakdown of Lapsi leikkii ulkona usein.

• lapsi: the child
• leikkiä: to play
• ulkona: outside
• usein: often

Questions & Answers about Lapsi leikkii ulkona usein.

Why does lapsi remain in the nominative form here?

Because lapsi is the subject of the sentence. In Finnish, the subject typically appears in the nominative case unless influenced by other grammatical features (for example, certain verb structures or possessive constructions). Here, lapsi simply states who is performing the action.

Why is the verb leikkii used, and how do I know it’s the third-person singular form?

Leikkii is the third-person singular (he/she/it) present tense form of the verb leikkiä (to play). In Finnish, third-person singular verbs often end with -ee, -aa, or -ää, depending on the verb type. The double vowel “ii” is a clue that it’s the third-person form of leikkiä.

Can I change the word order to "Usein lapsi leikkii ulkona"? Is that correct?

Yes, Finnish word order can be quite flexible. Writing "Usein lapsi leikkii ulkona" is also correct but puts an emphasis on how frequently the child plays outside. The meaning remains the same, though the emphasis shifts slightly.

Why is ulkona used instead of something like ulkonaan or ulkonaa?

Ulkona is the inessive case of ulkona (“outside”), but think of it more simply as the standard way to say “outside” in Finnish. Forms like ulkonaan do not usually make sense in this context unless you’re referring to a specific locative possessive construction, which doesn’t apply here. So ulkona is the correct form for “outside” in a neutral context.