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Questions & Answers about Minulla on kolme autoa kotona.
Why is minulla on used to express possession here instead of something like minä olen?
In Finnish you show possession by using the adessive case of the possessor plus the verb olla (to be). Minulla is the adessive form of minä (I) and literally means “at me.” So Minulla on kolme autoa literally reads “At me is three cars,” which we translate naturally as “I have three cars.”
What case is minulla, and how do I form it?
Minulla is the adessive case of minä (I). To form it, you take the stem minä- and add -lla, giving minulla, meaning “at me.”
Why is autoa in the partitive singular, and not the nominative plural autot?
With cardinal numbers from 2 to 10, Finnish uses the partitive singular of the noun. Even though you’re talking about multiple cars, the rule is: kaksi autoa, kolme autoa, neljä autoa, etc. That’s why you see autoa (partitive singular) rather than autot (nominative plural).
Could I say kolme autot or kolme autoja instead?
No. Neither kolme autot nor kolme autoja is correct. You must use the partitive singular after these numbers, so it’s always kolme autoa.
What case is kotona, and why is it used?
Kotona is the adessive case of koti (home), formed with koti- + -na. The adessive indicates a static location (“at”), so kotona means “at home.” It tells us where those three cars are.
Can I place kotona somewhere else in the sentence?
Yes. Finnish has flexible word order. You could say Kotona minulla on kolme autoa or Minulla kotona on kolme autoa. The basic meaning stays the same, but shifting words changes the emphasis slightly.
What does Minulla on kolme autoa kotona literally translate to in English?
Literally it’s “At me is three cars at home.” The natural English equivalent is “I have three cars at home.”
How would you say “I have two cars” in Finnish?
You’d say Minulla on kaksi autoa. Note that kaksi also requires the partitive singular autoa.
What’s the difference between kotona and kodissa?
Both can mean “in/at the home,” but kotona (adessive) is the standard way to say “at home” in a general sense. Kodissa (inessive) literally means “in the home,” and while grammatically correct, it’s less common in everyday speech.