Questions & Answers about Onko tämä sana vaikea?
Why does the sentence start with onko instead of just on?
To ask a yes/no question in Finnish, you add the question particle -ko or -kö to the verb and put it at the beginning of the sentence. Since on means "is", adding the particle makes onko ("is it?").
How would I answer "No, this word is not difficult" using the negative form from this lesson?
You use the "it" form of the negative verb, which is ei, plus the connegative form of the verb "to be", which is ole. Together, they make ei ole (is not). The full answer is: Ei, tämä sana ei ole vaikea.
How can I change this into a negative question, like "Is this word not difficult?"
You attach the question particle directly to the negative verb. Ei becomes eikö, and it moves to the front of the sentence. The word ole stays where the main verb usually goes. The negative question is: Eikö tämä sana ole vaikea?
Why does on take the -ko ending instead of -kö?
This is due to vowel harmony. Because the verb on contains a back vowel (the letter o), the ending must also use a back vowel, making it -ko.
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