# There's no tray!



## japanilainen

Hei!

In this lunch restaurant I frequent, sometimes there's a lack of trays and I want to ask them to fill in. But what is the word for this tray that I hold where I put plates and cups etc?

And what can I say when I let them know that there are no trays left and want them to fill in? Is "on loppunut" the word to use?

Thank you so much


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## Grumpy Old Man

_Tarjottimet on/ovat loppu.
Tarjottimia ei ole.

Ovat_ is grammatically correct as _tarjottimet_ is plural. In informal style it is seldom used, though.

GOM


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## japanilainen

Grumpy Old Man said:


> _Tarjottimet on/ovat loppu.
> Tarjottimia ei ole.
> 
> Ovat_ is grammatically correct as _tarjottimet_ is plural. In informal style it is seldom used, though.
> 
> GOM



Is this a common phenomenon? Or restricted to the verb "on/ovat"? Like, can I say "kaikki puhuu" without sounding too informal?


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## Grumpy Old Man

japanilainen said:


> Is this a common phenomenon? Or restricted to the verb "on/ovat"? Like, can I say "kaikki puhuu" without sounding too informal?


It is very common. In fact it is so common that many radio and television reporters don't know how to use the verb forms correctly. _Kaikki puhuu_ is fine in spoken Finnish. In strictly correct grammar, the singular verb form should only be used when _kaikki_ refers to things (every*thing*):

_Kaikki *on* hyvin nyt. _(Everything is fine now.)

But: _Kaikki *ovat* läsnä. _(Every*body* is present. / All are present.)

GOM


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## japanilainen

Can I ask you another question:

How can I say when I want to ask if they even have _tarjottimet _at the restaurant. That is, it looks like they don't have one, but just wondering if they have ones.

Can I ask the employee 

"Onko sinulla tarjottimet?"

Thank you


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## Grumpy Old Man

japanilainen said:


> Can I ask the employee
> 
> "Onko sinulla tarjottimet?"


You'll be understood even though the correct form of the word is _tarjottimia_ for this context.

GOM


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## japanilainen

OK. Kiitos


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## japanilainen

How can I say

"Is there something/I need something (similar to "tarjoittimet") that I can put plates and drinking glasses on."

"Onko se jokin (tarjoittimia muista) minä panna lautanen ja juomalasi?"
"Tarvitsen jokin (tarjoittimia muista) minä panna lautanen ja juomalasi?"

Thank you


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## Grumpy Old Man

If you use the sentences you suggest, you won't be understood. The word _muista_ will mislead the bar attendant. _Muista_ is an imperative form of _muistaa_ (to remember): _Muista ottaa avain mukaasi! _(Remember to take the key with you!) It can also be used in another grammatical function in negative clauses: _En muista sitä. _(I don't remember it.)

Another possible use is to use it as a pronoun: _Hän eroaa muista sikäli, että hän on kokeneempi. _(He differs from the others in that he has more experience.)

As to your question, I don't think they have anything that can substitute for a tray in coffee bars. Either they have trays or they don't. However, you could say: _Olisiko teillä mitään tarjottimen tapaista [jolle voisin panna lautasen ja lasin]?

_GOM


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## japanilainen

Thank you so much for your thorough explanations. It helped a great deal


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