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Questions & Answers about Kirja on pöydän reunalla.
Why is pöydän in the genitive case instead of the nominative pöytä?
In Finnish, when one noun (“table”) describes or “owns” another noun (“edge”), the describing noun takes the genitive. So pöydän reuna literally means “the table’s edge.” That genitive marking shows that the edge belongs to (or is part of) the table.
What does the ending -lla in reunalla indicate?
The -lla ending is the adessive case, used to express being “on,” “at,” or “by” something. Here, reunalla means “on the edge.”
Why isn’t there an article like “the” or “a” in this sentence?
Finnish has no articles. Definiteness (the vs. a) is inferred from context, word order, or extra words like yksi (“one”). So Kirja on pöydän reunalla can mean “The book is on the edge of the table,” even without “the.”
How is the verb on functioning in this sentence?
on is the third-person singular form of olla (“to be”). In locative sentences it functions like English “is,” linking the subject (Kirja) to its location (pöydän reunalla).
What is consonant gradation, as in pöytä → pöydän?
Consonant gradation is a systematic alternation of consonants in certain grammatical forms. Here, the strong-grade t in pöytä weakens to d in the genitive pöydän.
Could I say Kirja on pöydällä instead of pöydän reunalla?
Yes. pöydällä (pöytä + -llä) means “on the table,” but it’s less specific. Use pöydän reunalla when you want to emphasize “on the edge of the table.”
Can I omit the verb and say Kirja pöydän reunalla?
In spoken or very informal Finnish you might drop on, especially in headlines or labels. Standard Finnish prefers the verb: Kirja on pöydän reunalla.
Does Finnish word order matter here? Could I say Pöydän reunalla on kirja?
Yes, you can switch to Pöydän reunalla on kirja. Finnish word order is fairly flexible and can highlight different parts of the sentence—for example, putting the location first stresses “on the edge of the table.”
Why isn’t reuna in the genitive or another case?
reuna is the head of the locative phrase and takes the adessive (reunalla). Only the word that “owns” the edge (pöytä) goes into genitive. You don’t genitivize reuna because it isn’t a modifier here.
Is reunalla singular or plural, and how do I know?
It’s singular. Finnish case endings don’t change form between singular and plural in every case, but here the singular adessive of reuna is reunalla. The plural would be reunoilla.