Oletteko

Oletteko is a Finnish phrase used to form a yes–no question addressed to a group. It combines the present plural form of olla, olette (you are), with the clitic question particle -ko or -kö. The result functions as “Are you (all) …?” and is common in everyday speech as well as in written Finnish.

Formation and usage: The particle -ko/-kö attaches to the preceding word or clause to turn it into a question. The form -ko is used after words with back vowels or after consonants, while -kö is used after words with front vowels, in accordance with Finnish vowel harmony. In practice, oletteko is the standard spelling when the verb form is olette. Examples include Oletteko valmiita? (Are you ready?) and Oletteko nähneet tämän? (Have you seen this?)

Role in language: Oletteko is used when addressing two or more people or when a formal or respectful tone is desired. To ask a single person, the corresponding singular form Oletko is used instead of oletteko.

Notes: As a verb phrase, oletteko does not stand alone as a noun; its meaning depends on the rest of the sentence following the particle. The usage reflects Finnish question formation, where the question particle attaches to the verb to create a concise yes–no inquiry.

See also: Finnish grammar, verb olla, -ko/-kö question particle.