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xD Most Finnish people don't know that.

And the rules for so called combined words are pretty hard to explain, unless there is a difference in meaning in the two versions.

For example:
iso isä = big dad
isoisä = grandad

Well, it's so complicated... Our Finnish teacher told us such hints as 'think of how you say the words. If you naturally put weight on both words then they are written separately. But if you say it with one accent, then they're propably written together'. But this really doesn't help foreigners.

Pretty much the main rule is, that if the words alone mean something else than when written together, then it's up to the meaning how they should be spelled. And the combined words usually make things more specific, and make the meaning more precise.

alle kirjoitus = below writing
allekirjoitus = signature

keinu hevonen = a swing a horse (Swing, horse!)
keinuhevonen = a rocking horse

käsi nukke = a hand a doll
käsinukke = a hand puppet

pyyhe kumi = a towel a rubber
pyyhekumi = an eraser

kynttilän jalka = a candel's leg
kynttilänjalka = a candle stick

ilman suunta = air's direction (as in what direction the wind blows)
ilmansuunta = 'point of the compass'

sormen pää = finger's head (a concrete head)
sormenpää = the tip of the finger

Especially if the first word ends in -n, it can easily be read as a posession (like you can see above), so the meaning between the two spelling can sometimes be quite far from each other.

This thing crossed my mind: The possessive things, as in the words minun, sinun should be listed, and how the "substantiivit" (I'm lazy, I don't try to translate) form by them, as in his dog -> hänen koiransa.
It's not so critical, since foreigners can be understood without this, and some Finns don't say it correctly either, but... it's a common "mistake" in foreigner's speech.

(Ja wicked on kirjoittanut grammar-ketjussaan nolige (knowledge) jonkin postin loppuun...)

Hey guys, there's the link that everybody needs! wink
Finnish for foreigners
Have a look!

Speak Finnish Like a Restless Native