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Questions & Answers about Virkailijat auttavat asiakkaita.
Why do we use the partitive plural asiakkaita here instead of the regular plural asiakkaat?
The verb auttaa (to help) always requires its object to be in the partitive case. Because the clerks are helping multiple customers, the object must take the partitive plural form.
How is the partitive plural asiakkaita formed from the dictionary word asiakas?
Words ending in -as build their stem by dropping the -s and doubling the last vowel, giving the stem asiakkaa-. When we add the plural partitive ending -ita from this lesson, one of the a vowels drops so we don't have three vowels in a row, resulting in asiakkaita.
Why does the dictionary form asiakas have one 'k', but asiakkaita has two?
Words ending in -as go through 'reverse' consonant gradation. The basic dictionary word is in the weak grade (one k). When you form the stem to add endings, it flips to the strong grade (two ks).
Why doesn't the subject virkailijat (clerks) also get a partitive plural ending?
The subject of a standard sentence—the person or thing doing the action—usually takes the standard nominative plural ending -t. The partitive plural ending -ita is used here only for the object receiving the help.