A1 Finnish GrammarPossessive Adjectives
Express ownership in Finnish using possessive pronouns (minun, sinun, hänen) combined with possessive suffixes (-ni, -si, -nsa). Finnish has a unique double-marking system where possession is shown both by a pronoun and a suffix on the noun.
1Possessive Pronouns in Genitive
Finnish uses genitive forms of personal pronouns to show possession: minun (my), sinun (your), hänen (his/her). These come before the noun. In casual speech, the pronoun is often dropped and only the suffix is used. The pronouns are the same regardless of the noun's gender.
Possessive Pronouns
| Person | Pronoun | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | minun | my | minun kirja |
| 2nd sg. | sinun | your | sinun kirja |
| 3rd sg. | hänen | his/her | hänen kirja |
| 1st pl. | meidän | our | meidän kirja |
| 2nd pl. | teidän | your (pl.) | teidän kirja |
| 3rd pl. | heidän | their | heidän kirja |
Examples
Minun nimeni on Anna.
My name is Anna.
minun + nimi + -ni suffix
Sinun kotisi on kaunis.
Your home is beautiful.
sinun + koti + -si suffix
Hänen autonsa on punainen.
His/Her car is red.
hänen + auto + -nsa suffix
Meidän perheemme on suuri.
Our family is big.
meidän + perhe + -mme suffix
2Possessive Suffixes
Finnish adds possessive suffixes to nouns to mark ownership. These suffixes follow vowel harmony: -ni/-si use the stem vowel, while third person uses -nsa/-nsä. The suffix is added after case endings. This double marking (pronoun + suffix) is formal; casual speech often uses only the suffix.
Possessive Suffixes
| Person | Suffix | Example Noun | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | -ni | kirja (book) | kirjani |
| 2nd sg. | -si | kirja | kirjasi |
| 3rd sg. | -nsa/-nsä | kirja | kirjansa |
| 1st pl. | -mme | kirja | kirjamme |
| 2nd pl. | -nne | kirja | kirjanne |
| 3rd pl. | -nsa/-nsä | kirja | kirjansa |
Examples
Tässä on avaimeni.
Here are my keys.
-ni suffix, pronoun often dropped
Missä on laukkusi?
Where is your bag?
-si suffix on laukku
Hän rakastaa koiraansa.
He/She loves his/her dog.
-nsa after partitive -a
Opettajamme on mukava.
Our teacher is nice.
-mme for 'our'
3Possessives with Case Endings
When a noun has a case ending, the possessive suffix comes after it. Some case endings change slightly before the suffix. For example, inessive -ssa becomes -ssa- before -ni. The system takes practice but follows consistent patterns.
Case + Possessive
| Case | Word | With Possessive | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | auto | autoni | my car |
| inessive | autossa | autossani | in my car |
| genitive | auton | autoni | of my car |
| partitive | autoa | autoani | my car (obj.) |
Examples
Asun talossani.
I live in my house.
talo + -ssa (inessive) + -ni
Puhun ystävälleni.
I speak to my friend.
ystävä + -lle (allative) + -ni
Pidän työstäni.
I like my job.
työ + -stä (elative) + -ni
Tulen kotoani.
I come from my home.
koti changes to koto- + -a (elative) + -ni
4Common Possessive Expressions
Learn everyday expressions with possessives. Body parts, family members, and personal items frequently use possessive constructions. The phrase 'minulla on' (I have) is another way to express possession in Finnish, literally meaning 'at me is'.
Common Possessive Phrases
| Finnish | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| nimeni on... | my name is... | introductions |
| perheeni | my family | talking about family |
| minulla on | I have | possession (lit. 'at me is') |
| sinulla on | you have | possession |
Examples
Nimeni on Mikko.
My name is Mikko.
Common introduction pattern
Minulla on kaksi lasta.
I have two children.
minulla on = I have (lit. 'at me is')
Onko sinulla aikaa?
Do you have time?
sinulla = at you (possession)
Äitini asuu Helsingissä.
My mother lives in Helsinki.
äiti + -ni = my mother