Kysymyslause

Kysymyslause, or interrogative clause, is a type of Finnish clause used to ask about information or to seek confirmation. In standard Finnish, kysymyslauseet are typically marked by rising intonation in spoken language and by a question mark in written text. They come in two main forms: yes-no questions and wh-questions (kysymyssanat).

Yes-no questions are formed by adding the question particle -ko/-kö to the word immediately before the verb, or to the verb itself when appropriate. Examples include Oletko valmis? (Are you ready?) and Onko tämä oikein? (Is this correct?). In speech, these questions often rely on rising intonation, and in informal writing, the question mark signals the interrogative intent.

Wh-questions use kysymyssanat such as kuka (who), mitä (what), missä (where), millainen (what kind), milloin (when), miksi (why), miten (how). The question word typically appears at the beginning of the clause: Kuka sinä olet? Mitä teet? Missä asut? These questions usually maintain the normal sentence order after the question word, though Finnish allows flexibility for emphasis.

Kysymyslause can stand alone as a complete sentence or function as part of a larger sentence. They are distinguished from declarative and imperative clauses by their function and punctuation. In written Finnish, the presence of a question mark together with the intonation or particle-based formation marks them as interrogative.