Word
Minulla on tabletti kotona.
Meaning
I have a tablet at home.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
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Questions & Answers about Minulla on tabletti kotona.
Why is it Minulla, not Minä, when it means I?
In Finnish, possession is usually expressed with a special structure: the possessor is put in the adessive case (with the ending -lla / -llä) and the verb is olla (to be). So minä (I) becomes minulla (on/at me). Literally, Minulla on tabletti is On me is a tablet, which corresponds to English I have a tablet.
What does the ending -lla on Minulla mean?
-lla / -llä is the adessive case ending. Its basic meaning is location on / at / with something:
- pöydällä – on the table
- asemalla – at the station
- lapsella on koira – the child has a dog (literally: on the child is a dog)
In possession sentences, Finnish uses this same adessive ending on the owner (minulla, sinulla, lapsella) instead of a separate verb to have.
Why is the verb on, not olen, when I am the one who has the tablet?