Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Finnish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Tuuli on kylmä tänään.
What does the word on do here?
On is the 3rd-person singular present of olla (to be). With a singular subject like Tuuli (the wind), you use on: Tuuli on …. With a plural subject, it’s ovat: Tuulet ovat ….
Why is the adjective kylmä (cold) in this form?
It’s in the nominative singular because it’s a predicative adjective describing a singular subject (Tuuli). In Finnish, predicative adjectives typically agree with the subject in number (and often case): Tuuli on kylmä.
Could I say Tuuli on kylmää tänään?
You will most often hear Tuuli on kylmä with this subject. The partitive predicative (kylmää) is very common with mass nouns (e.g., Vesi on kylmää) and with subjectless weather statements (On kylmää = It’s cold). With tuuli, speakers usually prefer the nominative kylmä; for a general, subjectless weather statement, use On kylmää.
What’s the difference between Tuuli on kylmä tänään and On kylmä tänään?
- Tuuli on kylmä tänään focuses specifically on the wind being cold.
- On kylmä tänään is the impersonal weather way to say It’s cold today (in general), with no explicit subject.
How do I say “It’s windy today”?
- Impersonal: Tänään tuulee. (Literally: today it blows.)
- Descriptive (weather adjective): Tänään on tuulista.
Can I change the word order, e.g., Tänään tuuli on kylmä?
Yes. Finnish allows flexible word order for emphasis:
- Neutral: Tuuli on kylmä tänään.
- Emphasizing time: Tänään tuuli on kylmä.
- You can also say: Tuuli on tänään kylmä. All are correct; early placement highlights what you put first.
What is tänään grammatically?
Tänään is an adverb meaning today. It historically comes from the essive of tämä (this), tänä (“on this [day]”), plus an adverbial ending. Compare the longer phrase tänä päivänä (on this day, nowadays).
How do I put this in the past or future?
- Past: Tuuli oli kylmä eilen. (The wind was cold yesterday.)
- Perfect (has been): Tuuli on ollut kylmä tänään.
- Future idea (Finnish uses present or a periphrasis): Tuuli on kylmä huomenna or Tuuli tulee olemaan kylmä huomenna.
How do I negate it?
- With a subject: Tuuli ei ole kylmä tänään.
- Impersonal weather: Ei ole kylmää tänään.
What happens in the plural?
Verb agrees: ovat. The adjective is typically plural in form:
- Tuulet ovat kylmiä tänään. (descriptive, common)
- Tuulet ovat kylmät tänään. (more categorical/definite nuance)
Any quick pronunciation tips?
- Tuuli: long uu ([tuː-]), stress on the first syllable: TUU-li.
- kylmä: y is a front rounded vowel (like French u), ä is a front a (as in English “cat,” but pure). KYL-mä.
- tänään: both ä are front; ää is long: tä-NÄÄN, stress on the first syllable: TÄ-nään. Finnish stresses the first syllable of each word.
Are there articles like “the” or “a” in Finnish?
No. Tuuli can mean the wind or a wind; context supplies definiteness.
What’s an alternative way to express “The wind feels cold”?
Use the verb tuntua with the ablative (-lta/ltä): Tuuli tuntuu kylmältä. (The wind feels cold.)
Any useful synonyms or near-synonyms for “cold” wind?
- viileä = cool
- kolea = chilly, bleak
- pureva / pistävä = biting, piercing
- hyytävä = freezing, icy
How would I say “The wind is colder today (than yesterday)”?
- With an explicit subject: Tuuli on tänään kylmempi kuin eilen.
- Impersonal weather: Tänään on kylmempää kuin eilen.
Do I always need on (the verb “to be”) in the present?
Yes, in normal sentences with a subject you include on: Tuuli on kylmä. Omitting it is limited to headlines, notes, or certain set phrases.
What are a few basic forms of tuuli I should know?
- Nominative: tuuli (wind)
- Genitive: tuulen (of the wind)
- Partitive: tuulta (wind, some wind) These are the most frequent early on.
Is there a difference between tänään and tänä päivänä?
- tänään = today (this day).
- tänä päivänä often means nowadays/in the present era, though it can also literally mean “on this day” in formal style.