Minulla on lempi kissa.

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Breakdown of Minulla on lempi kissa.

• kissa: the cat
• lempi: favorite

Questions & Answers about Minulla on lempi kissa.

What does minulla mean and why is it in the adessive case?

Minulla is the adessive form of minä (meaning I). It literally translates as “at me” or “with me”, and this form is used to express possession in Finnish. So when you say minulla on, it conveys “I have” by indicating that something exists with or at you.

Why is the verb on used instead of a verb that directly means have?

In Finnish, there isn’t a separate verb for have. Instead, possession is expressed by using the verb on (from olla, which means “to be”). The structure minulla on literally means “at me there is”, serving the same function as “I have” in English.

How are lempi and kissa functioning in the sentence?

Lempi is an adjective meaning “favorite”, and kissa is a noun meaning “cat”. In the sentence, the adjective comes before the noun, following the typical Finnish word order, so lempi kissa means “favorite cat”.

Do I need to add a possessive suffix to kissa to show ownership?

No, you don’t need to add a possessive suffix to kissa. In Finnish, the possessor is already indicated by the adessive form (minulla). This construction makes additional marking on the noun unnecessary, as the sentence clearly shows that the favorite cat belongs to the speaker.

Why are there no articles like a or the in this sentence?

Finnish does not use articles at all. There are no words equivalent to the English a or the, so the meaning is understood from context. Therefore, minulla on lempi kissa translates directly to “I have a favorite cat” without needing an article before kissa.