Etuistuimilla

Etuistuimilla is a Finnish locative form meaning “on the front seats” or “at the front seats.” It represents the plural adessive case of the noun etuistuin, a compound formed from etu- meaning front and istuin meaning seat. The adessive suffix -lla/llä marks location, so etuistuimilla literally locates something on the front seats.

Usage and context

Etuistuimilla is commonly used to describe where people or objects are located within a vehicle or space, particularly the front seating area in cars, buses, trains, or auditoriums. It can also appear in narrative descriptions of seating arrangements. In contrast, the singular form etuistuimella means “in/on the front seat” for one seat, as in a driver sitting in the front seat.

Examples

- Kuski istuu etuistuimella. (The driver sits in the front seat.)

- Matkustajat istuivat etuistuimilla koko matkan. (The passengers sat in the front seats for the whole trip.)

Notes

Etuistuimet is the plural noun for “front seats,” while etuistuimilla is specifically the plural locative form. The term is primarily practical and descriptive, used in transportation, travel writing, and everyday Finnish to indicate position relative to the front seating area.