Possessive structure: minun + possessive suffix, kenellä on
I can express possession.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Tämä on minun kirjani.
This is my book.
Hänen nimensä on Liisa.
Her name is Liisa.
Kenellä on avaimet?
Who has the keys?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Two ways to express possession: (1) Genitive pronoun + possessive suffix: minun kirjani (my book). (2) Adessive + on: minulla on (I have). In spoken Finnish, the genitive pronoun is often dropped: kirjani = my book.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesForgetting possessive suffix (saying 'minun kirja' instead of 'minun kirjani'). Wrong suffix for person.
Omitting possessive suffix
Written Finnish requires BOTH genitive pronoun AND suffix: minun kirjani, not minun kirja.
Tämä on minun kirjani.
This is my book.
Minun (genitive) + kirja + -ni (possessive suffix). Both genitive AND suffix needed in written Finnish.
Hänen nimensä on Liisa.
Her name is Liisa.
Hänen (genitive) + nimi → nimensä (-nsä suffix). 3rd person suffix is -nsa/-nsä.
Kenellä on avaimet?
Who has the keys?
Kenellä = who (adessive of kuka). 'Who has?' = Kenellä on?
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises