Minä vaihdan vanhan tietokoneen uuteen.

I replace the old computer with a new one.

Breakdown of Minä vaihdan vanhan tietokoneen uuteen.

• minä: I
• vanha: old
• uusi: new
• tietokone: the computer
• -een: to
• vaihtaa: to replace

Questions & Answers about Minä vaihdan vanhan tietokoneen uuteen.

Why can Minä be left out in Minä vaihdan vanhan tietokoneen uuteen?

In Finnish the verb ending carries the subject information. vaihdan ends in -n, marking first person singular (“I”). You can simply say Vaihdan vanhan tietokoneen uuteen and it still means “I’m replacing the old computer with a new one.” Include Minä only if you want extra emphasis or clarity.

Why does vanhan tietokoneen end in -n on both words?

You’re replacing the entire old computer, so it’s a definite singular object. Finnish uses the accusative case for a whole object, and that takes -n on both the noun and its adjective. Hence vanha → vanhan and tietokone → tietokoneen.

What case is uuteen, and why is it used here?

uuteen is the illative case of uusi (“new”), indicating movement “into” or a change “to.” With verbs like vaihda-, the illative shows the thing you’re swapping into: you replace X into Y.

In English I say “replace X with Y.” Where is “with” in Finnish?

Finnish replaces prepositions with case endings. The illative ending -een on uuteen carries the meaning of “with” or “to,” so no separate word for “with” is needed.

What’s the difference between vaihdan tietokoneen uuteen and vaihdan tietokoneen uudeksi?

• uuteen (illative) = exchange X for Y (swap one thing for another).
• uudeksi (translative) = turn X into Y (physically or conceptually transform the same object).
So vaihdan tietokoneen uuteen = “I replace the computer with a new one,”
whereas vaihdan tietokoneen uudeksi = “I convert the computer so that it becomes new.”

Can I omit vanhan and just say Vaihdan tietokoneen uuteen?

Yes—if context makes clear you mean the old computer. Adding vanhan simply specifies that it’s an old machine you’re replacing, which can prevent misunderstanding.

How do I express “I replaced my old computer with a new one” in the past tense?

Use the past form vaihdoin instead of vaihdan. For example:
Minä vaihdoin vanhan tietokoneen uuteen.
Or drop the pronoun: Vaihdo? Eh. Better: Vaihdoin vanhan tietokoneen uuteen.

How do I say “my old computer” if I want to emphasize ownership?

Add the possessive suffix -ni to tietokone: tietokoneeni = “my computer.”
“My old computer” in accusative becomes vanhan tietokoneeni.
Putting it all together: Vaihdan vanhan tietokoneeni uuteen.