# use of "-han" in questions



## Gavril

When the enclitic _-han_ is attached to the verb of a question, as in,

_Käytätteköhän älypuhelinta arkipäivisin?_

what is the most likely interpretation of this sentence? As I understand it, there are at least two possible interpretations:

1) "I wonder if you use smartphones in your everyday life?" (= a question)

2) "How about you start using smartphones in your everyday life?" (= a softened command)

If I use _-han_ in the above sentence, or a similar one, are people most likely to interpret the meaning as 1) or 2)?

Kiitoksia paljon!


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## sakvaka

1), absolutely. It can't be considered a command without the imperative mood: _Alkakaahan käyttää älypuhelinta arkipäivisin! Lupaan, että elämänne helpottuu suuresti!_ ('I really recommend you to...')

'How about doing sth' is usually translated in Finnish as 'Entä jos... / Mitä sanoisit(te), jos...'.


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## Gavril

sakvaka said:


> 1), absolutely. It can't be considered a command without the imperative mood



According to Wiktionary, _-han_ can be used with the indicative to give a command-like meaning:



> -*han*
> [...]
> (enclitic) A particle appended to an indicative (more rarely: conditional or potential) verb form in order to express the speaker's wish about something; also to politely ask someone to do something – i.e., to avoid the imperative:
> 
> _Laitoithan tiskikoneen käyntiin?_
> You started up the dishwasher, didn't you?
> 
> _Katathan pöydän?_
> Please, set the table, will you?



Do you agree with Wiktionary's translations here?


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## sakvaka

To a certain extent, yes. I have usually illustrated 'Ethän polta täällä.' (usually with a full stop, not a question mark) with the English phrase 'You surely remember never to smoke here'. So technically it isn't a command, more like a mere suggestion.

And besides you added the question particle -kO to your original sentence and that makes the imperative meaning disappear.


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