Breakdown of Kumpikin pentu on todella suloinen.
olla
to be
todella
really (very, intensifier)
kumpikin
both / each (of two)
pentu
the puppy
suloinen
sweet / cute (adorable, endearing, not taste)
Questions & Answers about Kumpikin pentu on todella suloinen.
Why does this sentence use singular words (pentu on... suloinen) when the English translation says "Both puppies are"?
In Finnish, kumpikin behaves grammatically like "each of the two". Because it points to each one individually, the noun (pentu), the verb (on), and the adjective (suloinen) must all be in the singular form.
Could I use molemmat instead of kumpikin in this sentence?
Yes, but the grammar would change. Molemmat (both) groups them together and takes plural words, so you would say Molemmat pennut ovat suloisia. Kumpikin treats them individually, which is why everything stays singular.
How is the word kumpikin built?
It is made of the question word kumpi (which of the two) plus the suffix -kin (also). When inflecting it for other cases in future lessons, remember that the kumpi part changes but the -kin always stays at the very end.
Why use todella instead of tosi for "really"?
Both words mean "really" and work perfectly here. Tosi suloinen is very common in everyday speech, while todella is a standard adverb form (literally "with truth") that sounds slightly more formal or emphatic.
Learn Kumpikin pentu on todella suloinen 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