Onnettomuudessa

Onnettomuudessa is a Finnish prepositional phrase formed by the noun onnettomuus, meaning an accident or misfortune, and the inessive suffix -ssa, which indicates location or state, translating roughly to “in an accident.” The form is used to describe someone or something that is involved in or affected by an accident. It is a standard element in both formal language, such as news reporting and legal texts, and everyday speech.

Grammatically, onnettomuus serves as the base noun, while -ssa marks the inessive case. The phrase functions as an adverbial or prepositional element in a sentence. Common usages describe injury, death, or involvement in an incident, for example: Hän kuoli onnettomuudessa (He died in an accident); Mies sai vakavia vammoja onnettomuudessa (The man sustained serious injuries in an accident). The form can occur alongside other case forms of onnettomuus, such as onnettomuudesta (from an accident) and onnettomuuteen (into an accident), reflecting Finnish case grammar.

Etymologically, onnettomuus derives from a root meaning misfortune or calamity, with -ssa marking the location or state. The phrase is widely recognized in media, official reports, and everyday language when detailing events where harm occurred or could occur due to an accident.

See also: onnettomuus (the noun “accident”); elative and other case forms of onnettomuus, used to express different relationships to the event.