Luonamme

Luonamme is a Finnish locative expression used to indicate the place where the hosts are located, commonly translated as “at our place” or “in our home.” It is most often found in informal speech, invitations, and casual writing, where speakers want to invite someone to their home or to describe where an event is taking place.

Etymology and grammar: The phrase combines luona, meaning “at” or “near,” with the first-person plural possessive suffix -mme, yielding a sense of “at our [place].” It is related to similar constructions such as kotona (at home) or kotomme (our home), but luonamme emphasizes the hosts’ location rather than the listener’s.

Usage: Luonamme is typically used in everyday conversation and hospitality contexts. Examples include statements like Tule luonamme illalliselle (Come to our place for dinner) or Viihdy luonamme tänä viikonloppuna (Stay at our place this weekend). In written form, it appears more often in informal communications, event invitations, and social media posts than in formal writing.

Variants and related phrases: A closely related form is kotonamme, which also means “at our home” but places emphasis on the home itself rather than the location of the hosts. Both forms are understood across standard Finnish, though luonamme might be preferred when the focus is on hosting.

See also: Kotona, Koti, Luona, Invitation phrasing in Finnish, Finnish locatives.