Lahjoissa

Lahjoissa is Finnish for the inessive plural form of lahja, meaning “in the gifts” or “among the gifts.” It indicates location or state within a group of gifts and is used when referring to more than one gift. The corresponding singular form is lahjassa (“in the gift”). The inessive suffix -ssa/-ssä attaches to the plural stem lahjo-, giving lahjoissa, with vowel harmony guiding the choice of -ssa or -ssä as appropriate.

Usage and meaning

Lahjoissa is commonly used to describe contents, placement, or inclusion within a set of gifts. It can refer to what is contained in gift packages, or to elements that belong to a collection of presents. It is a neutral, descriptive term suitable for everyday language as well as written text.

Examples

Laatikosta löytyi useita pieniä lahjoja; lahjoissa oli kortti ja koriste. At a reception, it would be natural to say: Juhlan lahjoissa oli useita kirjoja ja pelejä. Another example: Hän avasi kaksi lahjaa ja löysi niistä yllättävän paljon koristeita lahjoissa. These illustrate how lahjoissa refers to items within the gifts or within a group of gifts.

Relation to other forms

Lahja + -ssa forms the singular inessive lahjassa (“in the gift”), while the plural lahjoissa signals membership in a collection of gifts or the contents of multiple presents. The term is purely grammatical and is not tied to any specific cultural practice beyond its ordinary usage.

Etymology

Derived from lahja (gift) with the inessive plural suffix -issa/-issä, following Finnish noun declension rules.