Questions & Answers about Melodia kuulostaa tutulta.
Why does this sentence use tutulta instead of just the basic word tuttu?
This happens because of the verb kuulostaa (to sound). In Finnish, verbs of perception (verbs about how things look, sound, feel, taste, or smell) require the descriptive word that follows them to take the ablative case. This means we must add the -lta or -ltä ending to it.
What is the dictionary form of tutulta?
The base form is tuttu, which translates to "familiar" or "known". Because it ends in a vowel, you simply attach the -lta ending directly to it without having to change the stem of the word.
Why does kuulostaa have a double 'a' at the end here?
This is the third-person singular ("he/she/it") present tense form. The dictionary form of the verb is also kuulostaa, which is a Type 1 verb. To make the "it" form (since the subject is melodia), you take the stem (kuulosta-) and double the final vowel, resulting in kuulostaa.
Is the verb kuulostaa related to kuulla (to hear)?
Yes! Kuulla means "to hear", and kuulostaa is built from that same root to mean "to sound". You will notice this logical pattern with other sense verbs too, such as nähdä (to see) and näyttää (to look like).
Learn Melodia kuulostaa tutulta and more in Finnish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free