lelusta

Lelusta is the elative singular form of the Finnish noun lelu, meaning toy. In Finnish, the elative case, marked with the suffix -sta or -stä, is used to express origin or source and, in many constructions, the topic of discussion. Therefore, lelusta can translate to “from the toy” or, depending on the verb and sentence structure, “about the toy.”

Formation and meaning: The word lelu receives the elative suffix -sta/-stä to form lelusta. This form is neutral and common in both spoken and written Finnish. Its precise meaning is determined by context: it can indicate something that originates from a toy or, more often in discourse, the topic of conversation about toys.

Usage and examples: Lelusta is frequently found with verbs that denote discussion or information about a subject. Example: He puhui lelusta. They talked about toys. Another example: Lelusta kertova artikkeli sai paljon lukijoita. An article about toys attracted many readers. The elative form can also appear in descriptive phrases such as lelusta kertova raportti, “a report about toys,” where lelusta acts to specify the topic of the reporting.

Notes: As with other Finnish case forms, the exact nuance of lelusta is determined by the surrounding predicate and sentence type. Its core function is to connect the noun lelu to discussions of origin or topic, making it a common tool in linguistic and journalistic Finnish to indicate “toys” as a matter of focus or source. Related terms include lelu (toy) and leluaiheinen (toy-related).