Questions & Answers about Kissa on autossa ja koira on tuvassa.
Why is it tuvassa instead of tupassa?
The base word for cabin is tupa. When we add the inessive ending -ssa to say in the cabin, it closes the syllable. This triggers consonant gradation, which changes the single p into a v.
If single consonants change, why doesn't the t in auto change to a d in autossa?
That is a great catch! The word auto is a loanword from other languages. Modern loanwords usually ignore the rules of consonant gradation, so the t stays exactly as it is even when the syllable is closed.
Why does in the car translate to just one word, autossa?
Instead of using separate little words like in, Finnish attaches endings directly to the noun. The ending -ssa means in or inside something.
Why do both endings use a (-ssa) instead of ä (-ssä)?
This is because of vowel harmony. The words auto and tupa only contain back vowels (a, o, u). Therefore, any endings added to them must also use the back vowel a to keep the pronunciation balanced.
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