Määräsana

Määräsana is a Finnish linguistic term that translates roughly to "determiner" or "specifier." It refers to a word or group of words that modifies a noun and specifies its referent. In Finnish grammar, määräsana plays a crucial role in indicating definiteness, quantity, or possession.

There are several types of määräsana in Finnish. Demonstrative determiners, such as tämä (this), tuo (that), and nuo (those), point to specific nouns. Possessive determiners, like minun (my), sinun (your), and hänen (his/her), indicate ownership. Quantitative determiners, including kaikki (all), useat (several), and muutama (a few), specify the number or amount of the noun. Interrogative determiners, such as kuka (who) and mikä (what), are used in questions to inquire about the referent of a noun.

The position of a määräsana is typically before the noun it modifies, although there can be some flexibility. Unlike in some other languages, Finnish determiners do not inflect for case or number in the same way nouns do; they remain in their base form. However, they do agree with the noun in number. The presence and type of määräsana can significantly affect the meaning and definiteness of a noun phrase in Finnish. Understanding the function of määräsana is essential for comprehending Finnish sentence structure and meaning.