Puu kuoli viime talvena.

last (in time)

Breakdown of Puu kuoli viime talvena.

• talvi: the winter
• puu: the tree
• kuolla: to die

Questions & Answers about Puu kuoli viime talvena.

Why is there no word for the or a before puu?

Finnish has no articles, so there is no separate word for the or a/an.

So puu can mean:

• a tree
• the tree

Which one is meant depends on context. In a short standalone sentence like this, English might translate it either way depending on the situation.

What form is kuoli?

Kuoli is the past tense, 3rd person singular form of the verb kuolla (to die).

So:

• kuolla = to die
• hän kuoli = he/she died
• puu kuoli = the tree died

The ending is not added in the same simple way as in English, so this is something you learn as part of the verb’s conjugation pattern.

Why is the verb kuoli and not something like kuolee?

Because kuolee is the present tense, while kuoli is the past tense.

Compare:

• Puu kuolee. = The tree dies / is dying
• Puu kuoli. = The tree died

Since the sentence refers to last winter, the past tense is needed.