Questions & Answers about On huono asia, että hän valehtelee.
Why is there a comma before että?
In Finnish, you must always put a comma before the conjunction että (that) when it introduces a subordinate clause. This is a strict punctuation rule and differs from English, where we usually do not use a comma before 'that'.
Why is there no 'se' (it) at the beginning of the sentence?
English requires a dummy subject like 'it' (It is a bad thing), but Finnish usually leaves it out. When making a general statement or expressing an opinion, it is very natural to just start the sentence directly with the verb on (is).
What is the dictionary form of valehtelee, and why does it look different here?
The dictionary form is valehdella (to lie). This is a Type 3 verb. When conjugating it, the weak consonant combination hd undergoes consonant gradation and changes to the strong ht. Adding the stem and the third-person ending gives us hän valehtelee.
Can asia be used for physical things, like a car or a book?
No, asia translates to 'thing', but it is only used for abstract things, matters, issues, or concepts. If you were talking about a physical object you can touch, you would use a word like esine or tavara.