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Questions & Answers about Minulla on mahdollinen idea.
What does minulla on mean in the sentence, and why is minulla used instead of something like minun?
Minulla on literally translates to “at me is,” which is the standard Finnish way to express possession—equivalent to “I have.” In Finnish, the possessor appears in the adessive case; here, minulla is the adessive form of minä (meaning “I”). Rather than using a possessive pronoun as in English, Finnish uses this case-marked form with the verb olla (to be) to indicate possession.
What role does the adjective mahdollinen play in Minulla on mahdollinen idea?
The adjective mahdollinen means “possible.” It qualifies idea by indicating that the idea is one possibility among many or a tentative notion rather than a definitive plan. In Finnish, adjectives usually precede the noun they modify and must agree with the noun in number and case. Here, mahdollinen is in the nominative singular, matching idea.
How does the adjective mahdollinen agree with the noun idea in this context?
In this sentence, both mahdollinen and idea are in the nominative singular form. Finnish adjectives are required to agree with the noun they describe in terms of number and case. Since idea (a loanword used much like its English counterpart) is in its basic nominative form, mahdollinen is also used in the nominative singular.
Why is possession expressed as minulla on instead of using a possessive suffix attached directly to the noun?
Finnish has different methods for expressing possession. One common way—especially when stating that someone possesses something—is to place the possessor in the adessive case (as in minulla) and follow it with the verb olla (is/are), resulting in minulla on (“at me there is”). This construction emphasizes where something exists relative to the possessor and is a typical way in Finnish to express “I have.”
Is idea a native Finnish word, and is there an alternative Finnish term for it?
Idea is a loanword in Finnish, adopted from Latin (via other languages like English or Italian). A more traditional Finnish term with a similar meaning is ajatus. However, idea is widely used in modern Finnish, particularly in informal contexts, and is fully understood by native speakers.