Mistä

Mistä is a Finnish interrogative word used to ask about origin, source, or topic. It corresponds to “from where” in questions about origin and can also mean “about what” when referring to a matter being discussed. It is the elative form of the pronoun that means “what” or “which,” and it is commonly used to inquire about where something comes from or what a situation concerns.

Common usages include asking about a person’s origin: “Mistä sinä tulet?” meaning “Where are you coming from?” It can also ask about the origin of an object or phenomenon: “Mistä tämä kahvi on?” or more naturally “Mistä tämä kahvi on peräisin?” (Where does this coffee come from?). Another frequent use is to inquire about the topic or subject: “Mistä tässä on kyse?” meaning “What is this about?” In answers, the source or focus is typically given with a place name or a matter in the elative form (for example, from Oulu -> “Oulusta”).

Grammatical notes: Mistä is used with verbs and nouns that express origin, source, or subject matter and often accompanies place names. It is part of a broader set of Finnish interrogatives, which includes forms like missä (where) and mihin (to where). The question particle -ko/-kö can be appended for emphasis or formality, as in “Mistäkö tämä on?” The exact construction depends on the verb and the noun phrase involved.

See also: Finnish interrogatives, elative case, Finnish grammar.