Millä

Millä is a Finnish interrogative pronoun form used in questions to indicate means, method, or instrument, typically translated as "with which" or "by which." It is the adessive form of the word mikä (what), and it appears in contexts where the means of an action or the tool being used is being identified.

Grammatical use and scope

Millä signals the instrument or method by which something is done, or the object through which a state or action is realized. It is commonly paired with nouns in the adessive case (ending in -lla/-llä) to specify the tool, device, or means. It can also appear in questions about route or location in broader senses, especially in fixed phrases such as "Millä tavalla" (in what way) or "Millä reitillä" (on which route). The form is specifically used for singular, direct questions; its equivalents exist for other cases and word shapes (for example, millä tavalla, millä tavoin).

Common usage and examples

- Millä koneella tämä ohjelma toimii? (With which computer does this program run?)

- Millä tavalla aiot ratkaista ongelman? (In what way do you intend to solve the problem?)

- Millä kortilla maksoit laskun? (With which card did you pay the bill?)

- Millä reitillä olette matkalla? (On which route are you traveling?)

Etymology and related forms

Millä is formed from the interrogative mikä (what) and the adessive case ending -llä. Finnish interrogatives decline through cases, so other forms include mikä, minkä, mitä, mihin, etc., each serving different grammatical functions. Millä is specifically the instrument/location-focused adessive form used in questions.

See also

Finnish grammar, Interrogatives in Finnish, Adessive case.