kuuluu

Kuuluu is the present tense, third-person singular form of the Finnish verb kuulua. The core sense is that something belongs to someone or is a part of something, i.e., it belongs within a group, category, or system. It can also express that something falls under a person’s responsibility or is their concern.

Common uses include belonging or being a member of a larger whole. For example, "Tämä kappale kuuluu ohjelman toiseen osaan" means that the piece is part of the program, and "Tämä asunto kuuluu kaupungille" indicates that the property belongs to the city. The phrase can also denote inclusion in a category, list, or set, as in "Lämpötila kuuluu mittauksen piiriin."

Another important sense is obligation or duty conveyed with expressions like "minulle kuuluu," meaning that something is my responsibility or that I am supposed to handle it. For instance, "Minulle kuuluu vastata tästä" translates roughly as "It is my duty to answer this." The construction with personal pronouns (minulle, sinulle, hänelle, etc.) is a common feature of kuulua when expressing duty or assignment.

Grammatical notes include that kuulua is a regular verb of Finnish conjugation, with forms such as minä kuulun, sinä kuulut, hän kuuluu, me kuulumme, te kuulutte, he kuuluvat in the present tense; past forms are kuului and kuuluivat. Negative forms use en kuulu, et kuulu, ei kuulu, etc.

Etymology and related forms: kuulua is a basic Finnish verb with related forms such as kuuluisa (famous), which historically derives from a sense of being known or heard about. The word is widely used in everyday language to express belonging, responsibility, and inclusion.