Questions & Answers about Kani on ankkaa pehmeämpi.
Where is the word for 'than' in this sentence?
In this structure, there is no separate word for 'than'. Instead, the thing being compared to (the duck) is put into the partitive case (ankkaa). This is a common alternative to using the word kuin.
Why does ankkaa come before pehmeämpi?
When you use the partitive case to mean 'than something', the partitive word naturally sits directly before the comparative adjective. If you used kuin instead, the word order would match English: Kani on pehmeämpi kuin ankka.
Why does ankkaa keep its double 'k' when an ending is added?
The partitive singular ending (-a) adds a vowel but doesn't close the syllable, so it doesn't trigger consonant gradation. The double 'k' stays strong, unlike in the genitive case (ankan) where the 'n' closes the syllable and weakens the double 'k' to a single 'k'.
How exactly is pehmeämpi formed from the base adjective pehmeä?
You simply add the comparative ending -mpi to the base word. Because pehmeä ends in -ä, that final vowel doesn't change. This is a handy rule: while a final -a often changes to -e- (like vanha becoming vanhempi), a final -ä always stays exactly the same before the -mpi ending.