Breakdown of Kaikki, mikä tapahtuu, on tosiasia.
olla
to be
tapahtua
to happen
kaikki
all, everything, everyone
mikä
which (relative pronoun)
Questions & Answers about Kaikki, mikä tapahtuu, on tosiasia.
Why does this sentence use mikä instead of joka for the word "that"?
In Finnish, you usually use joka to refer back to a specific noun. However, when referring back to an indefinite pronoun like kaikki (everything) or to an entire previous sentence, you must use mikä.
Why are there commas around mikä tapahtuu?
Finnish punctuation rules are strict about relative clauses (phrases starting with words like joka or mikä). They must always be separated from the main sentence by commas. Because mikä tapahtuu interrupts the main thought (Kaikki on tosiasia), it requires a comma on both sides.
What is the word tosiasia made of?
It is a compound word made from tosi (true) and asia (thing or matter). Literally it means a "true thing", which is the Finnish way to say a "fact".
Why is the verb tapahtuu in the singular form?
The pronoun kaikki (everything) is treated grammatically as a singular word in Finnish. Since mikä refers back to kaikki, the verb tapahtua (to happen) must also take the singular "he/she/it" form, becoming tapahtuu.