Questions & Answers about Pieni poika istuu liassa.
What is the dictionary form of liassa, and where did the "k" go?
The dictionary form is lika (dirt). Adding the -ssa ("in") ending triggers a spelling rule called consonant gradation. For this word, the single k completely disappears (k → ∅), so the stem changes from lika- to lia-. Add the ending, and you get liassa.
Why is the ending -ssa instead of -ssä?
This is due to vowel harmony. The base word lika has the back vowel a (the i is neutral). Even though the k disappears when we make the word liassa, the word still follows back vowel harmony and must take the -ssa ending.
Why doesn't the adjective pieni change its ending?
In Finnish, adjectives change to match the noun they describe. Pieni (small) describes the poika (boy), not the dirt. Since poika is the subject of the sentence and in its basic dictionary form, pieni also stays in its basic form.
Why does the verb istuu end with a double u?
Istuu is the "he/she/it" form of the verb istua (to sit). To make this third-person present tense form, you take the verb stem (istu-) and double the final vowel. It is used here because the subject is pieni poika (the small boy).
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