Kappelissa

Kappelissa is the inessive form of the Finnish noun kappeli, meaning a chapel. It is used to indicate that someone or something is located inside a chapel, or within the space of a chapel. As a common grammatical form, it appears in everyday language, religious contexts, and written texts.

Etymology and form: Kappeli is a loanword in Finnish, originating from the Swedish kapell and ultimately from the Latin capella. The suffix -ssa attaches to the stem to express location “in” or “inside,” producing kappeli + -ssa = kappell i-ssa, written as kappell isa, i.e., kappellissa. Finnish mood and case system treat kappelissa as one of several inflected forms of kappeli (e.g., kappeli, kappelin, kappeliin, kappeliin, kappellilla, kappelist a, kappellissa).

Use and examples: The form is standard in descriptive and narrative prose when specifying where an event or action takes place. Examples include: Hän istui kappelissa. Tilaisuus pidettiin kappelissa ennen iltahuutoa. These constructions show how kappelissa functions as a locative expression meaning “in the chapel.”

Related forms and notes: Other cases of kappeli include kappelin (genitive), kappeliin (illative), kappelistä/kappelistk si (elative), and kappellilla (adessive). The word remains common in Finnish discussions of churches, liturgy, and architectural descriptions, as well as in everyday speech when referring to a location inside a chapel.