The question word kumpi is used to ask which of two options someone chooses. If there are more than two options, you will use the question word mikä instead. For example, if I have two pens, I could ask “Kumpi kynä on sinun, tämä vai tuo?” (Which pen is yours, this one or that one?), but if there are three pens, the question would be “Mikä näistä kynistä on sinun?” (Which of these pens is yours?).

The question word (interrogative pronoun) kumpi inflects in the Finnish cases, and which form to use will depend on the sentence. Below, I’m giving examples of each of the different forms.

1. Inflection of kumpi

The following table contains the singular and plural forms of the question word kumpi.

2. What can kumpi-sentences look like?

There are several ways to form kumpi-sentences:

As seen in the examples above, we can use kumpi in a simple question. In addition, you can also use it in a subordinate clause. Note that the clause will end in a full stop if the main sentence is just a statement, while it will end in a question mark when the main sentence is a question as well.

3. The nominative – Kumpi?

Let’s first look at some examples where kumpi is used in its basic form. Keep in mind that we are always considering a situation with only two options to choose from.

4. The partitive – Kumpaa?

The partitive case is used for many reasons. As such, the following sentences are diverse. The examples below include partitive verbs (#1) and some abstract or uncountable nouns such as vesi, maa, kahvi and tee (#2).

4. Genitive – Kumman?

The genitive case is also a versatile case with many uses. Among the examples below, included are:

5. Inessive – Kummassa?

The inessive case (S-mihin, -ssa/-ssä) is most commonly used to say something is inside something. We can use certain verbs for this such as asua, käydä, olla, and viettää aikaa. Typical for Finnish is also the use of the inessive to express two things are connected in a way where one doesn’t easily come loose from the other: like a sock being IN your foot, or a ring IN your finger. In English, you would use “on” in this context.

6. Elative – Kummasta?

The elative case (S-mistä, Mistä? Kenestä? -sta/stä) most typically means “from, out of”. It’s also a common case used with certain verbs (#2). In addition, we can use it for “change and result” sentences, which express that something or something turns out or becomes something (#3).

7. Illative – Kumpaan?

The illative case (S-mihin, Mihin? Keneen?) expresses movement into a location or in a direction. Typical verbs for this are laittaa (to put somewhere) and muuttaa (to move to). In addition, there are certain rection verbs that require the illative case: ihastua + S-mihin, käyttää rahaa + S-mihin.

8. Adessive – Kummalla?

The adessive case (the L-missä, Millä? Kenellä? -lla/llä) can be translated as “on” or “at”, and is also used for possessive sentences.

9. Ablative – Kummalta?

The ablative case (L-mistä, Miltä? Keneltä? -lta/ltä) is often translated as “from”, especially with “puolelta” (from which side) or when expressing something coming from a person. In addition, it’s also used with certain verb rections, such as percentional verbs.

10. Allative – Kummalle?

The allative case (L-mihin, -lle) can be used to answer the question “kenelle” (to whom), such as in the context of to which of the two children a toy was given (#1). It can also be used to express what location one is going to or what thing something is put onto (#2). “Kummalle puolelle” (onto which side) is also a useful phrase in many contexts (#3).

11. Essive – Kumpana?

The essive case is used in some expressions of time (#1) and with some verb rections, such as pitää + partitive + essive (eg. Pidän sinua hyvänä ystävänä “I consider you a good friend). You can find some other verbs with an essive rection here in section 1.6.

12. Translative – Kummaksi?

The translative case form of kumpi is used with some translative verb rections.

13. Plural forms – Kummat? Kumpien? 

I’ve compiled the plural forms into one table because it’s been pretty difficult to find suitable examples for these! Included in the table are:

1. The plural nominative (T-monikko): kummat
2. The plural genitive (monikon genetiivi): kumpien
3. The plural elative (monikon S-mistä): kummista
4. The plural adessive (monikon L-missä): kummilla
5. The plural inessive (monikon S-missä): kummissa
6. The plural partitive (monikon partitiivi): kumpia

Related posts:

Finnish Question Words – Interrogative Pronouns Question Word: Kuka? Who? – Interrogative Pronoun Pronouns – Pronominit – Finnish Grammar Että in Finnish – “That” – Subordinate Clauses and More