Kädessä

Kädessä is the inessive form of the Finnish noun käsi (hand). It conveys the sense “in the hand” and is used to describe something that is physically located in someone’s hand or, figuratively, something that is under someone’s control or possession. The form is produced by adding the inessive suffix -ssä to the stem of käsi, with a phonological adjustment that yields kädessä.

The singular inessive forms with possessive suffixes include kädessäni (“in my hand”), kädessäsi (“in your hand”), and kädessään (“in his/her hand”). The plural inessive is käsissä (“in the hands”). These forms enable precise expressions of location and ownership in everyday Finnish.

Usage examples:

- Hän pitää avainta kädessään. (He is holding the key in his hand.)

- Avain on kädessäni. (The key is in my hand.)

- Tilanne on käsissäni. (The situation is in my hands.)

Kädessä is common in both literal and metaphorical contexts. It interacts with other case forms of käs, such as the genitive käden (“of the hand”) and the plural käsissä, to express related meanings about hands, objects being held, or control over a situation. The construction is a standard part of Finnish grammar for indicating location or possession related to the hand.