huonekalulla

Huonekalulla is the adessive singular form of huonekalu, the Finnish word for a piece of furniture. In Finnish grammar the adessive case (ending -lla) marks location on or at the surface of something, so huonekalulla literally means “on a piece of furniture” or “at a piece of furniture.” The corresponding plural form is huonekaluilla, used for locations on multiple pieces of furniture.

Usage

Huonekalulla is used when the furniture itself is the referent for location and the exact piece is not specified. In everyday language, speakers more often use more precise expressions such as pöydällä (on the table), sohvalla (on the sofa), or sängyllä (on the bed). Huonekalulla therefore tends to appear in descriptions where furniture is mentioned in general terms or where the specific surface is not important.

Examples

Illustrative examples include sentences such as “Kissa makaa huonekalulla” (The cat is lying on a piece of furniture) and “Laitoin avaimet huonekalulle” (I put the keys on a piece of furniture).

Notes

Huonekalulla is a standard grammatical form and does not carry a meaning beyond indicating location related to furniture. When referring to several pieces of furniture, the plural form huonekaluilla is used.