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Questions & Answers about Öljy on loppu.
What are the parts of speech in this sentence?
- Öljy: noun in nominative singular (“oil”), acting as the subject.
- on: 3rd person singular present of olla (“to be”).
- loppu: a noun (“end”) used as a predicative complement; idiomatically means “out/used up” in this pattern.
Why is it öljy and not öljyä?
Because this is a copular sentence (X is Y): the subject appears in nominative (öljy). The partitive öljyä is used in existential “there is/are” sentences:
- Öljy on loppu. = The (contextual) oil is out.
- Öljyä on. = There is (some) oil.
- Öljyä ei ole. = There is no oil.
Why is loppu in the nominative? Could it be something like lopussa or loppuna?
With olla, a predicative noun/adjective typically appears in the nominative: loppu. Other forms mean different things:
- lopussa (inessive) = “at its end,” i.e., nearly out.
- loppuna (essive) = “as an end” (different meaning; not used here).
What’s the difference between Öljy on loppu and Öljy on lopussa?
- Öljy on loppu: completely out; none left.
- Öljy on lopussa: almost out; running low.
How do Öljy loppui, Öljy on loppunut, and Öljy on loppu differ?
- Öljy loppui: past event — “the oil ran out” (when it happened).
- Öljy on loppunut: present perfect — emphasizes the result of the event (“has run out,” focusing on what has happened).
- Öljy on loppu: current state — “is out” (inventory-style statement, no focus on the moment it happened).
Is loppu an adjective here?
Historically loppu is a noun (“end”), but it’s widely used predicatively to mean “out/used up,” functioning like an adjective in this slot. Dictionaries often list it as both noun and adjective.
How do I negate this? Is Öljy ei ole loppu correct?
Yes:
- Öljy ei ole loppu. = “The oil isn’t out.” If you want to say “There is (still) oil,” you’d typically use the existential:
- Öljyä on (vielä). / Öljyä on vielä jäljellä.
Can I drop on and say just Öljy loppu?
In informal speech and notes/headlines, yes: Öljy loppu is common. In standard written language, keep on: Öljy on loppu.
Can I say Loppu on öljy or Öljy loppu on?
No. That would be ungrammatical or change the meaning to something odd (“the end is oil”). The natural order here is Öljy on loppu, though you can add topical elements before it, e.g., Nyt öljy on loppu (“Now the oil is out”).
How do I pronounce öljy and loppu?
- öljy: two syllables, [ˈøl.jy].
- ö = front rounded vowel (like German “ö” in “schön”).
- y = front rounded vowel (like German “ü” in “müde” or French “u”).
- ljy: say an L, then a brief y-like glide [j], then y.
- loppu: [ˈlopːu]. Double pp is a long consonant; hold the /p/ a bit longer than in English.
Where is the stress?
Finnish primary stress is always on the first syllable:
- Öl-jy on lop-pu.
Does Finnish have articles like “the” or “a”? How do I know if it’s “the oil” or just “oil”?
Finnish has no articles. Definiteness comes from context. In Öljy on loppu, we’re referring to contextually known oil (e.g., the oil in the tank).
What if I’m talking about multiple items, like several kinds/bottles of oil?
You have options depending on meaning and style:
- State/result: Öljyt ovat lopussa. (“The oils are nearly out.”)
- Event: Öljyt ovat loppuneet. (“The oils have run out.”) In everyday speech, you may also hear plural subjects with singular loppu (e.g., “Öljyt ovat loppu”), but many prefer lopussa/loppuneet in standard style.
How do I say “We’re out of oil” explicitly mentioning “we”?
Common options:
- State at our place: Meillä on öljy loppu.
- Event happened to us: Meiltä loppui öljy. / Meiltä on öljy loppunut. All are natural; choose state vs. event depending on focus.
Are there other natural ways to express the same idea?
- Öljyä ei ole jäljellä. = There’s no oil left.
- Öljy on ihan/aivan loppu. = The oil is completely out (intensifiers).
- If it’s getting low: Öljy on loppumassa. = The oil is running out (in the process).
What’s the base verb behind loppu, and what are some useful forms?
The verb is loppua (“to end, run out”):
- Present: loppuu (it runs out / is ending)
- Past: loppui (ran out)
- Perfect participle: loppunut (has run out; used with on)
- Inessive of the 3rd infinitive: loppumassa (in the process of running out) These give you aspectual choices: event (loppui), result (on loppunut), ongoing process (on loppumassa).
Can I use verbs like päättyä or words like ohi with oil?
Not for supplies. päättyä (“to end”) and ohi (“over”) are for events/periods, not consumable stock. For supplies, stick to loppu / lopussa / loppua.