Learn Hardcore Finnish: Minulla on yksi huoli, mutta se on pieni.

Finnish expresses possession with an existential structure: literally “there is on/at me.” Minulla is adessive (“on/at me”) and on is “is.” Minä olen means “I am,” not “I have,” so it would be wrong here.

What does Minulla mean grammatically?

It’s the adessive case of minä (“I”), formed with -lla/llä, and it often marks the possessor in the “have” construction. So Minulla on = “there is (something) at me” = “I have.”

Who is the subject of the sentence?

The grammatical subject is yksi huoli (“one concern”). In Finnish existential sentences the possessed item is the subject; the possessor (Minulla) is an adessive-marked complement.

Do I need the yksi? What’s the difference between Minulla on huoli and Minulla on yksi huoli?

Minulla on huoli = “I have a concern” (indefinite, not specifying number).
Minulla on yksi huoli = “I have one concern” (explicitly one, sometimes “one particular”). Use yksi when you want to stress the number one.

Why is it huoli and not huolta?

After yksi, the noun is nominative singular: yksi huoli. The partitive singular huolta appears for indefinite quantity or with negation: Minulla on huolta (“I have some worry/trouble”), Ei huolta (“no worry / no worries”).

How would I say “I have two small concerns”?

Minulla on kaksi pientä huolta.
After numerals 2+, the noun (and any adjective) go in partitive singular: kaksi pientä huolta. The verb on stays singular in such existential clauses.

Why is there a comma before mutta?

Finnish normally places a comma before coordinating conjunctions like mutta (“but”). So the comma here is mandatory: …, mutta …

Why se and not hän?

Se refers to things/animals (and informally to people), while hän is for people in standard written language. Since huoli is a thing/abstract, se is correct: mutta se on pieni.

Could I combine it as Minulla on yksi pieni huoli?

Yes. Minulla on yksi pieni huoli means “I have one small concern,” which folds the second clause into one noun phrase. The original keeps the size comment as a separate contrast: “but it is small.” Both are natural.

Do I have to repeat the noun instead of using se? Could I say …, mutta huoli on pieni?

You can say …, mutta huoli on pieni, but Finnish normally prefers a pronoun (se) to avoid repetition when the referent is clear. …, mutta se on pieni is more idiomatic in everyday style.

Why isn’t pieni in the partitive (pientä)?

Predicate adjectives agree with the subject in number and case. Here the subject is se (nominative singular), so pieni is nominative singular. You’d see partitive in different structures, not in this simple predication.

What’s the plural of huoli?

Nominative singular: huoli
Genitive singular: huolen
Partitive singular: huolta
Nominative plural: huolet
Partitive plural: huolia
It’s an i-noun with an e-stem (huole-) in many forms.

Is mutta the only “but”? What about vaan?

Use mutta for a general “but.” Vaan is used after a negation to mean “but rather/instead”:

En ole väsynyt, vaan pirteä. (“I’m not tired, but rather energetic.”)
Here there’s no negation, so mutta is correct.

How else can I say I’m worried in Finnish?

Olen huolissani. (“I’m worried.”)
Minua huolettaa. (“I’m worried/concerned,” literally “It worries me.”)
These describe your emotional state, whereas Minulla on huoli highlights a specific concern you possess.

Can I change the word order for emphasis?

Yes. Existential sentences allow reordering for focus:

On minulla yksi huoli, mutta se on pieni. (emphasizes that you do have one)
You can also split into two sentences: Minulla on yksi huoli. Se on pieni.

What’s a natural colloquial version?

Mulla on yks huoli, mut se on pieni.
Common colloquial features: mulla (for minulla), yks (for yksi), and mut (for mutta).

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Stress the first syllable of each word.
yksi: front rounded y (like French u).
huoli: the diphthong uo is one smooth vowel glide.
pieni: the diphthong ie is also one smooth glide.

What’s the nuance difference between huoli and murhe?

Both mean “worry/concern,” but huoli is neutral and common. Murhe can feel heavier or more sorrowful (closer to “grief/trouble”), and is stylistically more literary or emotive.

Could I say Huoleni on pieni?

Yes. Huoleni on pieni = “My concern is small,” using the possessive suffix -ni on huoli. Don’t mix it redundantly with Minulla on in the same noun phrase; Minulla on huoleni is possible but sounds marked/poetic (“I have my (own) worries”).