Kaupungilla

Kaupungilla is a Finnish locative form meaning “in the town” or “at the town,” formed from the noun kaupungki (city) with the adessive suffix -lla. It is used to indicate a location within the boundaries of a city or urban area.

Usage and meaning

Kaupungilla answers the question where. It is used when stating that someone or something is located in a city, or when describing activities taking place there. Examples: Olen kaupungilla. (I am in town.) Käyn kaupungilla ostoksilla. (I go to town to shop.) When referring to movement toward the town, different cases are used, such as kaupungille (to the town) or kaupungin suuntaan, depending on the construction of the sentence.

Contrast with other locations

Kaupungilla contrasts with maalla or maaseudulla, which signify being in the countryside. It can also contrast with kaupungin keskusta or kaupungin alue, if a more precise urban area is meant. The choice of location word affects nuance, with kaupungilla implying presence somewhere within the city’s area rather than just near it.

Related forms and notes

The root word is kaupungki/kaupunki; Finnish uses various cases to express location and direction. Common collocations include kaupungilla, kaupungilla ostoksilla, and käyn kaupungilla. The illative (into the town) and allative (onto/to the town) forms—such as kaupungiin or kaupungille—are used for movement toward the city, while kaupungilla remains for location in the city.

See also

Finnish grammar: locative cases; illative and allative forms. Finnish city terminology and everyday usage in urban contexts.