Todellisuutensa

Todellisuutensa is a Finnish noun phrase meaning “its/his/her own reality.” It is formed from todellisuus (reality) with the third-person possessive suffix -nsä, yielding todellisuutensa. The suffix marks possession by a third person, and the exact possessor is determined by context. In Finnish, possessive suffixes attach directly to the end of the noun or noun phrase, and the resulting form often carries nuance beyond a literal fact.

Usage and nuance: Todellisuutensa is commonly used in literary and philosophical Finnish to foreground subjectivity, personal perception, or interpretive stance. It signals that what is real or true can be different for different subjects, emphasizing perspective over an objective reality. The construction is helpful for discussing characters, narrators, or speakers whose internal world or interpretation diverges from others’ views.

Examples:

- Hahmon todellisuutensa muuttui tarinan käänteessä. (The character’s own reality changed at the plot twist.)

- Kertojan todellisuutensa ei vastannut todellisuutta, vaan hänen tulkintansa. (The narrator’s reality did not correspond to reality but to his interpretation.)

- Teos tarkastelee, miten ihmiset rakentavat todellisuutensa kertomusten kautta. (The work examines how people construct their realities through stories.)

See also: todellisuus, Finnish possessive suffixes, Finnish grammar.

---