Expressing Multiples with Kertaa
To say something is "twice as large" or "three times cheaper," use a numeral followed by kertaa (times) and the comparative form of an adjective.
| The new kitchen island is twice as narrow as the old one. | Uusi saareke on kaksi kertaa kapeampi kuin vanha. |
| The tiling of the washroom was twice as expensive as the kitchen's. | Pesuhuoneen laatoitus oli kaksi kertaa kalliimpi kuin keittiön. |
Where English might use fractions like "a third of the price," Finnish typically expresses this with a multiple of the "lesser" trait (e.g., kolme kertaa halvempi, literally "three times cheaper").
| One square meter of this tiling is three times cheaper. | Yksi neliömetri tätä laatoitusta on kolme kertaa halvempi. |
Expressing Halves with Puolta
While you can say kaksi kertaa pienempi (two times smaller), Finnish often uses puolta (the partitive of puoli, "half") followed by a comparative adjective to express "half as [adjective]" or "fifty percent more [adjective]."
| When we made the extension, the new partition wall was half as thick. | Kun teimme laajennuksen, uusi väliseinä oli puolta ohuempi. |
| The cost estimate for the washroom is fifty percent more expensive than we thought. | Pesuhuoneen kustannusarvio on puolta kalliimpi kuin luulimme. |
Remodeling Vocabulary
You will frequently use these comparative structures alongside common home renovation vocabulary like pohjapiirros (floor plan) and laajennus (extension).
| The extension made the floor plan twice as large. | Laajennus teki pohjapiirroksen kaksi kertaa suuremmaksi. |
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