Learn Hardcore Finnish: Pelaatko sinä arkisin vai vain viikonloppuna? - Do you play on weekdays or only on the weekend?

-ko/-kö is the yes/no question clitic. Adding it to the finite verb makes a polar question: pelaat + -ko → Pelaatko. You choose -ko because of vowel harmony: the verb has back vowels (a, o, u). Use -kö if the word has only front vowels (ä, ö, y), e.g., Syötkö?

Do I have to include sinä, or can I just say Pelaatko arkisin…?

You can omit it. The verb ending already encodes “you.” Including sinä adds emphasis, roughly “Do you (as opposed to someone else) play…?” For even stronger focus on the person, you can attach the clitic to the pronoun: Sinäkö pelaat…?

Why is it vai and not tai?

In direct questions that present exclusive alternatives, Finnish uses vai. It signals “which is it, A or B?” Tai is the ordinary “or” used in statements and in questions that don’t force a choice (often allowing “both”). So here, vai is the natural choice.

What does vain mean, and how is it different from vaan?

Vain means “only.” Vaan means “but rather/just” and typically follows a negation (e.g., “Ei iso, vaan pieni”). In casual speech many people pronounce vain like “vaan,” but in standard writing you use vain for “only.”

Why is viikonloppuna in the form with -na?

That’s the essive case (-na/-nä), which is commonly used for time expressions meaning “on [a day/date/occasion],” e.g., maanantaina (on Monday). Viikonloppuna means “on the weekend.”

Shouldn’t it be viikonloppuisin to match the habitual sense of arkisin?

Good point. Arkisin means “on weekdays (regularly).” The habitual counterpart for weekends is viikonloppuisin (“on weekends [as a habit]”). So a very clear, fully habitual version is: Pelaatko sinä arkisin vai vain viikonloppuisin? That said, many speakers do say viikonloppuna in general questions, and context usually makes the habitual reading clear.

What exactly is arkisin, and how is it formed?

Arkisin is an adverb meaning “on weekdays (regularly).” It’s built from arki (weekday/everyday life) + the -sin adverbial ending used for recurring times. Other examples: maanantaisin (on Mondays), iltaisin (in the evenings), öisin (at night), viikonloppuisin (on weekends).

Can I use arkena instead of arkisin?

Yes, arkena (essive) is also common and can mean “on weekdays” or “in everyday life (as opposed to weekends/holidays).” Arkisin highlights a repeated schedule. Both are fine here; choose arkisin if you want to stress a habitual pattern.

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Common variants include:

Pelaatko arkisin vai vain viikonloppuna? (omit the pronoun)
Vai pelaatko sinä vain viikonloppuna? (starting with vai is natural as a follow-up or to highlight the alternative) Keep -ko/-kö on the focused element (usually the finite verb).

How do I answer this kind of yes/no question in Finnish?

Use kyllä (or colloquial joo) for “yes,” and ei for “no,” and repeat the verb appropriately:

Yes: Kyllä, pelaan arkisin.
No: Ei, pelaan vain viikonloppuisin.

How would I ask about “both weekdays and weekends” instead of choosing one?

Use a “both…and” structure: Pelaatko sekä arkisin että viikonloppuisin? You can also say: Pelaatko sekä viikonloppuisin että arkisin?

Is pelata the right verb for “play” here?

Yes. Pelata is used for games and sports (board games, video games, football). For musical instruments, use soittaa (e.g., “play the guitar”), and for children’s free play use leikkiä.

What changes if I’m talking to more than one person (you plural)?

Use the 2nd person plural: Pelaatteko te arkisin vai vain viikonloppuna? As with the singular, te can be omitted unless you want emphasis: Pelaatteko arkisin…?

Does vain have to come right before viikonloppuna?

It’s most natural to place vain immediately before what it limits: vain viikonloppuna. You might hear viikonloppuna vain in speech for emphasis, but the default placement is before the noun.