Minä lähetän uuden kirjan ystävälle.

I send the new book to a friend.

Breakdown of Minä lähetän uuden kirjan ystävälle.

• minä: I
• ystävä: the friend
• kirja: the book
• uusi: new
• lähettää: to send

Questions & Answers about Minä lähetän uuden kirjan ystävälle.

What does the word Minä mean in this sentence?

Minä translates to “I” in English. It’s the first-person singular pronoun. Although Finnish verb conjugations clearly indicate the subject, including Minä can add emphasis or clarity, especially for beginners.

How is the verb lähetän conjugated, and what does it convey?

Lähetän is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb lähettää, meaning “to send.” The ending -n confirms that the subject is “I,” so the verb translates directly as “I send.”

Why are the forms uuden and kirjan used instead of uusi and kirja?

Both uuden (from uusi) and kirjan are in the accusative case because they form the direct object “the new book.” In Finnish, adjectives and nouns must agree in case, so uusi becomes uuden to match kirja’s accusative form.

What case is represented by ystävälle, and what is its function?

Ystävälle is in the allative case, marked by the ending -lle. This indicates direction or destination, translating to “to (a/the) friend.” It shows that the action of sending is directed toward a friend.

Why is the subject pronoun explicitly stated when the verb already indicates the subject?

Finnish typically allows the subject pronoun to be omitted because verb conjugation clearly signals the subject. However, including Minä can emphasize who is acting or simply make the sentence clearer for learners.

Does the sentence follow a similar word order to English, and can the order vary in Finnish?

Yes, the sentence uses a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, much like English. Though Finnish has a flexible word order thanks to its rich case system, using the SVO sequence here aids in clarity, especially for those new to the language.