Siinä

Siinä is a Finnish word that functions as a demonstrative pronoun in the inessive form and as an adverb, roughly translating to “in that” or “therein.” It is used to refer to something previously mentioned or to indicate location, often within the immediate discourse.

Grammatical notes

Siinä is formed from the demonstrative se (that/it) with the locative suffix -ssä, yielding the meaning “in that” or “in that place.” As a fixed form, it can serve as the subject or object of a clause in sentences that point to a particular thing or situation. It also appears in numerous idiomatic phrases and collocations that expand its use beyond literal location.

Common usage and examples

The word appears in everyday speech to indicate location: “Siinä on kissa.” (“There is a cat there/in that place.”) It also features in discourse markers and set phrases: “Siinä tapauksessa” (in that case) and “Siinä mielessä” (in that sense). A frequent, colloquial expression is “Siinäpä se,” meaning “There it is” or “That’s it.” In narrative or explanatory contexts, inessive forms like tämä is replaced by siinä to reference the previously stated idea or situation.

Etymology and scope

Siinä derives from the Finnish demonstrative se/tuo with the locative suffix -ssä, functioning as a core element of reference and location in standard Finnish. It is widely used across registers, from casual conversation to formal writing, and is a key connector in distinguishing what is being referenced within a surrounding context.

See also

Finnish grammar; demonstratives; locative cases; set phrases in Finnish.