Linnuilla

Linnuilla is a Finnish grammatical form representing the plural adessive case of the noun lintu, meaning bird. The adessive case marks location on or at something and, in its plural form, can also express possession by a group. Numerically, linnuilla is used with a plural subject and the verb on to indicate what the birds have, as in the common construction X on Y.

Form and usage details: The plural adessive is built by taking the plural stem linnut and adding the adessive suffix -lla, yielding linnuilla. The singular counterpart is lintulla, meaning “on the bird.” In sentences, linnuilla often functions to show possession or ownership by the birds, for example with the verb on: “Linnuilla on ruokaa” means “The birds have food,” and “Linnuilla on pesät puissa” means “The birds have nests in the trees.”

Examples:

- Linnuilla on paljon ravintoa. — The birds have a lot of food.

- Linnuilla on pesät puissa. — The birds have nests in the trees.

- Linnut voivat käyttää linnuilla olevaa vettä juomavetenä. (illustrative, though stylistically awkward in isolation)

Notes: Lintu- related forms illustrate Finnish case grammar where possession is expressed via the possessor in the adessive with on. The form linnuilla is distinct from the singular lintulla and from other cases like linnuissa (in the birds) or linnuista (from the birds). Understanding linnuilla helps in parsing sentences that describe what a group of birds possesses or is located on.

See also: Finnish grammar, cases (adessive), possession constructions in Finnish.