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Questions & Answers about Paidan koko sopii minulle.
What does each word in Paidan koko sopii minulle mean?
- Paidan is the genitive singular of paita, meaning “of the shirt” or “shirt’s.”
- koko is a noun meaning “size.”
- sopii is the present tense, 3rd person singular of the verb sopia, meaning “(it) suits” or “(it) fits.”
- minulle is the allative form of minä, literally “to me,” here “for me.”
Why is minulle in the allative case, and how does that work?
Finnish uses the allative case (ending -lle) to indicate “to” or “for” someone. With the verb sopia, the person receiving the suitability is in allative. You ask “sopii kenelle?” (“suits whom?”) and answer “minulle” (“to me”).
Allative example:
Tämä väri sopii sinulle.
(“This color suits you.”)
How do you conjugate the verb sopia, and what forms does it have here?
- Infinitive: sopia (“to suit/fit”)
- Present tense, 3rd person singular: sopii. You add -i-
- personal ending (zero ending here).
- Imperfect (simple past): sopi.
- Past participle: sopinut.
In our sentence, sopii tells us “it suits/fits.”
Why do we say Paidan koko (“the shirt’s size”) instead of just paita or just koko?
- Paita sopii minulle would mean “the shirt suits me,” focusing on the garment.
- Koko sopii minulle means “the size suits me,” but you lose which item you’re talking about.
- Paidan koko sopii minulle explicitly links the size with the shirt: “The shirt’s size fits me.”
Use paidan koko whenever you want to talk about the size of that specific shirt.
Can I change the word order in this sentence?
Yes. Finnish has fairly free word order. You can emphasize different parts by moving them. Common alternatives:
- Minulle sopii paidan koko. (emphasizes minulle)
- Koko paidan sopii minulle. is possible but less natural because Finnish noun phrases usually keep the head noun last.
The basic meaning remains identical.
How would I say the opposite: “The shirt’s size does not suit me”?
Just add the negative verb ei and put the main verb in the connegative form:
Paidan koko ei sovi minulle.
How do I use this structure with other pronouns or possessors?
Change the genitive and allative appropriately. Examples:
- Your shirt’s size suits you:
Paidasi koko sopii sinulle. - His/her shirt’s size suits him/her:
Hänen paitansa koko sopii hänelle. - That dress’s size suits us:
Sen mekon koko sopii meille.
What’s the difference between using sopia and the adjective sopiva?
- As a verb: Sopii → “(It) suits/fits.”
- As an adjective: sopiva → “suitable,” used attributively or predicatively with olla.
Example:
Se on minulle sopiva paita.
(“That is a suitable shirt for me.”)
Both convey suitability, but one is a verb construction, the other an adjective plus olla.