Question Formation
Question formation: -ko/-kö particle, question words (mikä, kuka, missä, milloin, miksi, miten)
I can form yes/no and wh-questions.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Puhutko sinä englantia?
Do you speak English?
Missä sinä asut?
Where do you live?
Miksi olet myöhässä?
Why are you late?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Question Formation
Yes/no questions: add -ko/-kö to the verb (vowel harmony!). Wh-questions: question word + verb. Note: 'where' has THREE forms in Finnish: missä (at), mistä (from), mihin (to) — matching the case system!
Forgetting -ko/-kö for yes/no questions. Using wrong 'where' form (missä/mistä/mihin). Wrong vowel harmony on -ko/-kö.
Common Error Patterns
Forgetting -ko/-kö in yes/no questions
Finnish yes/no questions MUST have -ko/-kö on the verb.
Using wrong 'where' form
missä = where (at), mistä = where from, mihin = where to.
Puhutko sinä englantia?
Do you speak English?
-ko added to verb: puhut + ko. Back vowels → -ko.
Missä sinä asut?
Where do you live?
Missä = where (static location). Uses inessive form of mikä.
Miksi olet myöhässä?
Why are you late?
Miksi = why. Question word goes first, verb follows.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises