Learn Hardcore Finnish: Tanssitko mieluummin, kun kitara soi vai kun piano soi? - Do you prefer to dance when the guitar plays or when the piano plays?

The clitic -ko/-kö turns a statement into a yes–no question. It attaches to the first word of the clause that carries the focus. In a neutral yes–no question, it’s attached to the verb, so tanssit (you dance) becomes tanssitko (do you dance?). Vowel harmony decides whether you use -ko or -kö; here it’s -ko.

You can attach it to other words for emphasis:

Sinäkö tanssit mieluummin…? = Is it you who prefers to dance…?
Kitarako soi? = Is it the guitar that’s playing?

Why is there no sinä (you) in the sentence?

Finnish usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. Tanssitko already tells us it’s “you.” You add sinä for emphasis or contrast:

Sinäkö tanssit mieluummin…? = Is it you (as opposed to someone else) who prefers…?

Why use mieluummin here instead of mielellään, enemmän, or paremmin?

mieluummin = rather, preferably (preference between options). Perfect here.
mielellään = gladly/willingly (no comparison). Tanssin mielellään = I like dancing.
enemmän = more (quantity/frequency). Tanssin enemmän = I dance more.
paremmin = better (quality/skill). Tanssin paremmin = I dance better.

Is the spelling mieluummin (with two u’s) important?

Yes. The standard form is mieluummin (with long uu). You may see mieluimmin in older or more formal texts, but mieluummin is the common modern standard. Mielummin (one u) is considered a mistake.

Why is it kun and not kuin after mieluummin?

Here kun means “when” and introduces a time clause: kun kitara soi = when the guitar is playing.
kuin is used in comparisons, including the set phrase mieluummin kuin = “rather than”:

Tanssin mieluummin kuin laulan. = I’d rather dance than sing.

Why is it vai and not tai?

vai is used in questions when choosing between alternatives (usually mutually exclusive): Tanssitko mieluummin… vai …?
tai is used in statements or when the alternatives are not presented as a forced choice: Minulla on kitara tai piano. = I have a guitar or a piano.

What does soi mean, and how is it different from soittaa?

soida (intransitive): to sound/play/ring. Kitara soi = The guitar is playing/sounding.
soittaa (transitive): to play (an instrument), to make something sound, to call (phone). Hän soittaa kitaraa = He plays the guitar.

Why are there no words for “a/the” before kitara and piano?

Finnish has no articles. kitara/piano can mean “a guitar/piano” or “the guitar/piano,” depending on context. Here it’s generic: “when the guitar is playing” vs. “when the piano is playing.”

What’s the comma doing before kun? And why no comma before vai?

Finnish normally places a comma between a main clause and a following subordinate clause. Tanssitko mieluummin, kun kitara soi… is main clause + subordinate clause, so the comma is correct.
No comma is needed before vai here because it simply links parallel alternatives inside the same structure.

Can I move mieluummin to a different position?

Yes, within reason:

Neutral: Tanssin mieluummin. / Tanssitko mieluummin…?
Emphatic/fronted: Mieluummin tanssin. (I’d rather dance.) Don’t split kun from its clause, and keep the question natural: Tanssitko mieluummin, kun kitara soi, vai kun piano soi? is clear and idiomatic.

How would I say “Would you rather…” more explicitly?

Use the conditional:

Tanssisitko mieluummin, kun kitara soi, vai kun piano soi? = Would you rather dance when the guitar is playing or when the piano is playing? The original present tense also works for general preference.

Can I rephrase the time clauses with the -essa/-essä form?

Yes. Use the inessive of the 3rd infinitive to express “while/when …ing”:

Tanssitko mieluummin kitaran soidessa vai pianon soidessa? Meaning is the same; this version is compact and stylish.

Do I have to repeat kun piano soi, or can I shorten it?

You can shorten, but clarity matters. Options:

Keep both (clearest): …kun kitara soi vai kun piano soi.
Elliptical but acceptable: …kun kitara vai piano soi.
Avoid mixing structures like …kun kitara soi vai piano, which is unbalanced.

Does kun here mean “when” or “because”?

Here it clearly means “when.” kun can sometimes mean “because,” but koska is the unambiguous word for “because.” With music playing, kun is a temporal “when.”

How do I pronounce mieluummin and soi?

mieluummin: stress the first syllable; the uu is a long u. Roughly: MIE-luum-min.
soi: one syllable with the diphthong oi (like “boy”).

Is soi present or past? It looks the same.

In 3rd person singular, soi can be present or past; context decides. In this question, the main verb tanssitko is present, so soi is understood as present/habitual (“when the guitar is playing”). Time words (e.g., eilen) would shift it to past.

Can the -ko attach to words other than the verb to change the focus?

Yes:

Sinäkö tanssit mieluummin…? = Is it you who prefers…?
Tanssitko mieluummin…? = Is it dancing that you prefer (rather than something else)?
Kitarako soi? = Is it the guitar that’s playing?
Attaching -ko/-kö to different words changes what’s being questioned or emphasized.