Questions & Answers about Joki on täällä matalampi.
How is the comparative matalampi formed from the base word?
The base adjective is matala (shallow). To say 'shallower', we add the comparative suffix -mpi. Because matala has three syllables (ma-ta-la), the final -a stays exactly the same. This is different from two-syllable words ending in -a, which change that vowel to an -e- before the suffix (like vanha becoming vanhempi).
Why use täällä for 'here' instead of tässä?
While both mean 'here', täällä refers to a broader, more general area (like this stretch of the river). tässä would mean a very specific, exact point right next to the speaker.
Does matalampi need to match the word it describes?
Yes. Adjectives in the comparative degree still behave like normal adjectives and must match the case of the noun. Because joki (river) is in the basic nominative form, matalampi is also in the basic nominative form.
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