Missä on kattilan kansi?

Where is the lid of the pot?

Breakdown of Missä on kattilan kansi?

• olla: to be
• missä: where
• kattila: the pot
• kansi: the lid

Questions & Answers about Missä on kattilan kansi?

What does each word do grammatically in the sentence?

• Missä: the question word meaning "where (in/at)"; it's in the inessive case.
• on: 3rd person singular of olla "to be" (is).
• kattilan: genitive singular of kattila "pot," marking possession ("of the pot").
• kansi: nominative singular of kansi "lid"; it's the item being located (the subject/complement of the sentence).

Why is kattilan in the genitive (-n) case?

Finnish uses the genitive to show possession or an "of" relationship. kattilan kansi literally means "the pot's lid" or "lid of the pot," so kattilan must be genitive.

Why is kansi in the nominative and not genitive (kannen)?

Because kansi is the thing whose location is being asked about—it's the grammatical subject/complement of the clause with olla ("to be"), so it appears in the nominative. The genitive kannen would be used if kansi itself were the possessor of something else (e.g., kannen kahva "the lid's handle").

Could I say Missä kattilan kansi on? instead?

Yes. Both Missä on kattilan kansi? and Missä kattilan kansi on? are natural. The first is the most neutral, while the second can add a light emphasis to the subject (kattilan kansi). Avoid Kattilan kansi on missä? unless you're repeating back as an echo question.

Do I ever need a possessive suffix here (like kansinsa "his/her/its lid")?

Not when the possessor is a regular noun in the genitive: kattilan kansi is correct without a possessive suffix. If the possessor is a personal or demonstrative pronoun, you typically express it differently, e.g.:

• Missä on sen kansi? "Where is its lid?" (referring to a previously mentioned pot)
• Missä on hänen kattilansa kansi? "Where is his/her pot's lid?" (note the -nsA on kattila).

What’s the difference between missä, mihin (minne), and mistä?

• missä = "where (in/at)" (static location): Missä on kansi?
• mihin / minne = "to where" (movement toward): Minne kansi meni?
• mistä = "from where" (movement away): Mistä kansi putosi?

Why is the verb on singular and not plural (ovat)?

Because kansi (lid) is singular. If you were asking about multiple lids, you'd use plural:

• Missä ovat kattilan kannet? "Where are the pot's lids?"

How would I ask about lids of several pots?

Use plural on the possessor and on the head noun:

• Missä ovat kattiloiden kannet? "Where are the lids of the pots?"
  If you mean "lids for pots" in a more general sense, you might also see:
• kattiloiden kansia (partitive plural) in other sentence types, but with a straight "Where are...?" question, nominative plural kannet fits.

What case should I use in a typical answer?

Use a local case to mark the place:

• Se on kaapissa. "It is in the cupboard." (inessive -ssa/-ssä)
• Se on pöydällä. "It is on the table." (adessive -lla/-llä)
• Se on laatikossa. "It is in the drawer." (inessive) The subject stays nominative: Se (it) / Kansi (the lid).

Is Missä literally the inessive form of something?

Yes. Historically, missä is the inessive of the interrogative stem related to mikä "what" adapted to mean "in what place." In practice, just remember missä = where, mihin/minne = to where, mistä = from where.

How do I pronounce the tricky bits?

• Missä: stress the first syllable; double s is long: "MIS-sä"; ä like the a in "cat."
• kattilan: "KAT-ti-lan"; double t is long.
• kansi: "KAN-si." Finnish always stresses the first syllable, and double consonants are held longer.

Is there consonant gradation with kansi?

Yes. kansi shows gradation/assimilation in oblique forms:

• Genitive singular: kannen
• Partitive singular: kantta
• Illative singular: kanteen So you might later say things like kannen väri "the color of the lid."

Could this be written as one compound word (kattilankansi)?

You may encounter the compound kattilankansi ("pot lid"). Both kattilan kansi (two words) and the compound form occur. The compound tends to feel more like a fixed item name; the two-word genitive + head is neutral and always safe.

What’s the difference between kattila and pannu?

• kattila: a pot/saucepan (typically deep, for boiling).
• pannu: a pan (typically shallow), or in some contexts a pot used in specific ways (regional variation).
  So "pan lid" would usually be pannun kansi, while "pot lid" is kattilan kansi.

Can I drop the verb like English "Where the pot lid?"

No. Finnish requires the verb. You must say Missä on kattilan kansi? (or Missä kattilan kansi on?).