Questions & Answers about Tämä kahvi on vahva mutta herkullinen.
What does tämä mean exactly, and how is it different from se or tuo?
Tämä means “this” (something close to the speaker).
Finnish has three very common demonstratives:
- tämä = this (near me)
- tuo = that (a bit further away / near you)
- se = that / it (often used for things that are already known in the context, not so much about physical distance)
In your sentence, Tämä kahvi literally means “this coffee (here)”, e.g. the cup you’re holding.
Compare:
- Tämä kahvi on vahva. – This coffee (right here) is strong.
- Se kahvi on vahva. – That coffee / The coffee is strong. (already known or mentioned)
- Tuo kahvi on vahva. – That coffee (over there) is strong. (physically further away)
Why is there no word for “the” or “a” in Tämä kahvi on vahva mutta herkullinen?