Breakdown of Tarkastajan tarkistaessa matkakortteja junassa on yksi vihainen matkustaja.
olla
to be
vihainen
angry
juna
train
yksi
one
tarkistaa
to check
matkustaja
passenger
matkakortti
travel card
tarkastaja
inspector
Questions & Answers about Tarkastajan tarkistaessa matkakortteja junassa on yksi vihainen matkustaja.
How do we form "when the inspector checks" using the temporal construction in this sentence?
The subject of the action, the inspector (tarkastaja), is put into the genitive case: tarkastajan. Then, the verb tarkistaa (to check) is changed into its 2nd infinitive inessive form: tarkistaessa. This compact structure replaces a standard kun (when) clause like Kun tarkastaja tarkistaa...
Why is the object matkakortteja in the partitive plural instead of the nominative plural?
The rules for objects inside a temporal construction are the exact same as in normal sentences. Because the inspector is checking an unspecified number of cards, and the action is ongoing, the partitive plural (matkakortteja) is required here.
Tarkastajan and tarkistaessa look and sound very similar. Are they related?
Yes! Tarkastaja (inspector) is a noun derived from the verb tarkastaa (to inspect). The verb used in this sentence is tarkistaa (to check), which is a very close cousin. Finnish frequently builds families of related words from the same root.
In English we put a comma after the "when" clause. Why is there no comma in the Finnish sentence?
In Finnish, a temporal construction is considered a phrase, not a full subordinate clause. Because it doesn't contain a conjugated main verb, you do not use a comma to separate it from the rest of the sentence. You would only use a comma if you wrote it out with kun: Kun tarkastaja tarkistaa matkakortteja, junassa on...
Why is the word order junassa on yksi vihainen matkustaja rather than starting with the passenger?
This is a classic existential sentence, which states that something exists in a certain place. In Finnish, these sentences naturally start with the location (junassa), followed by the verb (on), and end with the newly introduced subject (yksi vihainen matkustaja).
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