Breakdown of Älkää kuvatko salamalla.
älkää
do not (plural/formal)
kuvata
to photograph
salama
flash / lightning
Questions & Answers about Älkää kuvatko salamalla.
Why does the verb end in -ko instead of just using kuvaa?
Because this is a plural or formal command. For a singular, informal 'Don't photograph', you would say Älä kuvaa. But for plural or formal commands, you use Älkää and add -ko or -kö to the consonant stem of the verb, giving us Älkää kuvatko.
How do we find the stem kuvat- from the verb kuvata (to photograph)?
The plural negative imperative uses the verb's consonant stem. Kuvata is a type 4 verb. To find its consonant stem, you drop the final -a, which leaves kuvat-. Then you just add the -ko ending to make kuvatko.
Why is 'with a flash' translated using the -lla ending in salamalla?
The -lla ending (the adessive case) is used here to indicate a tool or instrument. While you probably first learned that -lla means 'on' (like on a table), it is also the standard way to say you do something 'with' or 'by means of' an object. So salamalla means 'with a flash'.
Does salama also mean lightning?
Yes! Salama originally means a bolt of lightning. The word was later adapted to also mean a camera flash because of the sudden burst of light. Context usually makes it obvious which one is meant.
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