Demonstratiivilla

Demonstratiivilla is the adessive case form of a demonstrative pronoun or determiner in Finnish grammar. It is the form used to express instrument or means (with this/these) and, in many contexts, a location or manner related to the demonstrative. The adessive suffix -lla/-llä attaches to the demonstrative stem, producing forms such as tällä, noilla, näillä, sellaisilla and so on. In singular, tämä becomes tällä, tuo becomes tuolla or similar depending on the demonstrative, and in plural, nämä or nuo become näillä or noilla respectively.

Common functions include indicating instrument or means: for example, Tällä työkalulla voimme korjata sen (We can fix it with this tool) or Näillä keinoilla saavumme tavoitteeseen (With these means we will reach the goal). Demonstrative adessives also appear in expressions of manner or attribution: Sellaisella tavalla tämä tapahtuu (This happens in such a way) or Tuollaisella asialla hän ei pidä puolia (He doesn’t take sides with such a matter).

Usage notes:

- The form is productive in everyday Finnish for linking a demonstrative with an instrument, means, or manner.

- It also encodes spatial reference or contrast, as in Tuolla on talo (There is a house over there), where the demonstrative’s adessive form helps anchor the reference point.

- Plural forms (Näillä, Noilla, Sellaisilla) are common in discussing multiple means, tools, or examples.

See also:

- Finnish grammar

- Demonstratives (tämä, tuo, se, sekä näitä ja noita)

- Adessive case in Finnish

Demonstratiivilla thus represents how Finnish uses the adessive with demonstratives to convey means, manner, or location in a concise, context-dependent way.