Questions & Answers about Tuo mies jonossa on viides.
How do we get viides (fifth) from the number viisi (five)?
The basic number five is viisi. To make ordinal numbers like fifth, Finnish uses the word's stem and adds an -s. The stem for viisi is viite-. When we add the -s, consonant gradation changes the t to a d, giving us viides.
Why is the word for queue (jono) written as jonossa here?
The ending -ssa means 'in' or 'inside' (this is called the inessive case). So jono (queue) becomes jonossa (in the queue) because the man is physically standing in the line.
What is the difference between tuo and se if both can mean 'that'?
You use tuo when you are pointing at something you can physically see at a distance, like 'that man over there'. Se is usually used for 'it', or for 'that' when talking about something you already mentioned in conversation rather than physically pointing to it.
Is viides in its basic form here?
Yes, viides is in the basic nominative form. Ordinal numbers change their endings just like regular adjectives depending on their role in the sentence. But here, the word for fifth is just describing the subject (the man) directly with the verb on (is), so it stays in the basic form.
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