Learn Finnish: Kysymme, onko tietovisan kysymys vaikea. - We ask if the question in the trivia quiz is hard.

In English, you use "if" or "whether" to connect an indirect question. In Finnish, you don't use a separate word. Instead, you attach the question ending -ko or -kö to the verb. Here, adding -ko to on (is) creates onko, which translates to "if it is" or "whether it is" in this context.

Are the words kysymme and kysymys related?

Yes, they come from the exact same root! Kysymme is the verb "we ask" (from the basic verb kysyä), while kysymys is the noun "a question". Finnish very often builds related nouns and verbs from the same base.

Why is "tietovisa" (trivia quiz) in the genitive form (tietovisan)?

It shows possession or connection. English says "the question in the trivia quiz", but Finnish approaches this by saying "the trivia quiz's question". The genitive -n links the quiz to the question it belongs to: tietovisan kysymys.

Why is there a comma before onko?

In Finnish grammar, you must almost always place a comma between the main sentence (Kysymme) and a dependent part of the sentence, like an indirect question. Even though English doesn't use a comma before "if" in this sentence, Finnish requires it.