Possession with 'minulla on' (Adessive + olla)

01

The Basic Pattern

owner + -lla/-llä + on + the thing possessed.

• Minulla on koira.

  I have a dog. (literally "on me is a dog")

• minu-lla — the same "on/at" ending a table or a station would take
• on is, koira dog — and the dog, not the owner, is the subject of the sentence

• Sinulla on kaunis koti.

  You have a beautiful home.

• Hänellä on kysymys.

  He/she has a question.

• Meillä on aikaa.

  We have time.

02

The Owner Forms

The personal pronouns in this "on/at" form are worth learning as a set, since you use them constantly:

• minulla (I have), sinulla (you have), hänellä (he/she has)
• meillä (we have), teillä (you have), heillä (they have)

03

The Negative Changes the Other End Too

The negative is ei ole, "there isn't" — and the thing you do not have changes its ending, because nothing definite is being claimed to exist. It takes -a or -ä, the ending for an open, unbounded amount.

• Minulla ei ole autoa.

  I don't have a car.

• auto a car, but auto-a once the sentence denies there is one

• Hänellä ei ole rahaa.

  He/she doesn't have money.

04

Asking "Do you have…?"

Form the question with the -ko particle on on, giving onko.

• Onko sinulla aikaa?

  Do you have time?

• Onko teillä kahvia?

  Do you have coffee?

05

Also Used for Feelings and States

The same structure expresses physical sensations and states, where English uses "to be" plus an adjective.

• Minulla on nälkä.

  I am hungry. (literally "on me is hunger")

• Hänellä on kylmä.

  He/she is cold.