Ettekö

Ettekö is a Finnish negative question form used to ask a question directed at the second-person plural (you all). It is formed by combining the negative pronoun ette (you plural do not) with the question particle -kö/-k0, yielding ettekö. The construction functions similarly to “aren’t you” or “don’t you” in English, depending on the verb and context.

In practice, ettekö precedes the finite verb in a clause, as in Ettekö ole valmiita? or Oletteko valmiita? with the negative version Ettekö ole valmiita? meaning “Aren’t you ready?” or “Aren’t you going to be ready?” The form can also appear with other verbs, always aligning with the subject you (te) in plural form. The exact word order can vary slightly by emphasis or register, but the ettekö construction remains a standard way to form negative questions directed at a group.

Nuance and use: ettekö conveys not only a request for confirmation but can imply surprise, insistence, or mild reproach, depending on intonation and context. It is common in spoken Finnish and also found in written dialogue, news reporting, and formal conversation. Unlike some other languages’ tag questions, Finnish uses ettekö with a clear negative element tied to the second-person plural, rather than a general rising intonation.

Related forms include etkö (singular you) in similar constructions, and eikö for non-person-specific or third-person contexts. Ettekö is an intrinsic part of Finnish deictic-question syntax and typical of everyday speech.