Luulen, että sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille.

I think that a solution like that suits us.

Breakdown of Luulen, että sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille.

• minä: I
• sopia: to suit
• että: that
• ratkaisu: the solution
• luulla: to think
• sellainen: like that
• meille: us

Questions & Answers about Luulen, että sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille.

Why is there a comma before että?

In Finnish, a comma is normally placed before että when it introduces a subordinate clause (a that-clause).

• Luulen, että … = I think that …
• Tiedän, että … = I know that …

So the comma is simply the standard rule: main clause + comma + että + subordinate clause.

What exactly does että do in this sentence?

Että is a conjunction that works like English that introducing a content clause:

• Luulen = I think
• että sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille = that such a solution suits us / would suit us

Together: Luulen, että … = I think that ….

In speech, English often drops that (“I think it suits us”), but Finnish että is usually kept.

Why isn’t minä written before luulen?

Finnish usually drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows the person:

• (Minä) luulen = I think
• The ending -n on luulen marks 1st person singular (I).

Using minä is possible but often unnecessary unless you want to emphasize I (not someone else):

• Minä luulen, että… = I (as opposed to others) think that…

What does sellainen mean, and how is it different from tällainen?

Both are demonstrative adjectives meaning such / this kind / that kind, but they differ in “distance”:

• tällainen ratkaisu = this kind of solution (closer to the speaker, or a solution just mentioned or being proposed now)
• sellainen ratkaisu = that kind of solution (slightly more “distant”: something already discussed, mentioned earlier, or hypothetically described)

In this sentence, sellainen ratkaisu suggests “that kind of solution we spoke about / that sort of solution” rather than a brand-new, here-and-now idea.

Why is it sellainen ratkaisu, not ratkaisu sellainen?

In Finnish, adjectives usually come before the noun they modify, like in English:

• suuri talo = big house
• sellainen ratkaisu = such a solution

Putting sellainen after the noun (ratkaisu sellainen) would sound unusual here and would need a special context or emphasis, more like “a solution of that kind” in an explanatory or contrastive way. The neutral, normal order is sellainen ratkaisu.

What is the case and meaning of meille?

Meille is the allative case of me (we / us). Allative often means “to someone/something” or “for someone/something”:

• me (base form)
• meille = to us / for us

The verb sopia (to suit / to fit / to be suitable) is used with the allative:

• jokin sopii jollekin = something suits someone
• ratkaisu sopii meille = the solution suits us / is suitable for us

So meille fits the verb’s government pattern: sopia + allative.

Why is it sopii meille, not sopii meitä?

Because sopia requires the allative case for the person it suits:

• sopia jollekin = to suit someone → sopii meille

If you used meitä (partitive of me), it would be ungrammatical with sopia in this meaning.

Compare:

• Paita sopii minulle. = The shirt suits me.
• Tämä aika sopii meille. = This time suits us.

What tense is sopii, and why is it used if we are talking about the future?

Sopii is the present tense of sopia (3rd person singular). Finnish very often uses the present tense to talk about the future, especially when something is seen as planned, expected, or generally true:

• Se sopii meille. = It suits us / It will suit us.
• Huomenna tämä aika sopii meille. = This time suits us tomorrow / will suit us tomorrow.

Context (and sometimes time adverbs like “tomorrow”) tells you whether it’s present or future in meaning.

What is the role and form of ratkaisu here?

Ratkaisu means solution. In this sentence it is:

• singular
• nominative case (the basic dictionary form)
• functioning as the subject of the subordinate clause: sellainen ratkaisu = such a solution

Because the verb is sopii (3rd singular), it agrees with a singular subject: ratkaisu sopii.

Why is it sopii and not something like on sopiva?

Both can be used, but they differ slightly:

• ratkaisu sopii meille

  • literally: the solution suits us / fits us
  • this is the most natural, common way to say it. It focuses on the solution’s compatibility with us.

• ratkaisu on sopiva meille

  • literally: the solution is suitable for us
  • also correct, but sounds a bit more descriptive or evaluative, slightly more formal or explicit.

In everyday speech, sopia is the default verb for to suit / to fit / to be suitable.

Could the sentence be Ajattelen, että sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille instead of Luulen? What’s the difference?

You could say that, but the nuance changes:

• luulen = I think / I suppose / I believe (my opinion or guess)
• ajattelen = I am thinking / I think about (mentally processing)

Luulen, että… expresses an opinion or belief.
Ajattelen, että… is more about your thought process or view, and can sound a bit more deliberate or philosophical.

For everyday “I think (that) this solution suits us”, luulen is the more typical choice.

Can että be left out like English “I think this solution suits us”?

Normally, no. In Finnish you do not usually drop että the way English drops that:

• English: I think (that) this solution suits us.
• Finnish: Luulen, että tämä ratkaisu sopii meille.

Luulen tämä ratkaisu sopii meille (without että) is incorrect. The conjunction että is needed to mark the start of the subordinate clause.

Is the word order että sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille fixed, or can it change?

This is the neutral word order:

• että [sellainen ratkaisu] [sopii] [meille]

You can move elements for emphasis, but it changes focus and can sound marked:

• että meille sopii sellainen ratkaisu – emphasizing meille (“for us, such a solution suits / it’s such a solution that suits us”).

For a learner, it’s best to keep the basic order: Subject – Verb – (other elements) → sellainen ratkaisu sopii meille.