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Huhu ei perustu todellisuuteen, vaan valheeseen.

Huhu ei perustu todellisuuteen, vaan valheeseen.
The rumor is not based on reality, but rather on a lie.
From Lesson 212:Contrasting after a negative (vaan)·Finnish

Questions & Answers about Huhu ei perustu todellisuuteen, vaan valheeseen.

Why does this sentence use vaan instead of mutta for 'but'?
Vaan translates to 'but rather' or 'instead'. It is specifically used after a negative statement (like ei perustu) to offer a direct correction. If you used mutta, it would sound like you are just adding a side thought, rather than completely replacing 'reality' with 'a lie'.
Why are todellisuuteen and valheeseen in the illative case?
The verb perustua (to be based on) requires its target to be in the illative (into) case. While in English a rumor rests 'on' a foundation, in Finnish it is anchored 'into' it. Since the verb applies to both halves of the sentence, both nouns must take the illative case.
How is the word todellisuuteen built?
The root is tosi (true). From there, we get the adjective todellinen (real). Adding the suffix -uus creates the noun todellisuus (reality). To put it in the illative case, the stem becomes todellisuute- and we add -en, resulting in todellisuuteen.
Is it grammatically correct to leave the verb out of the second half of the sentence?
Yes! Just like in English, Finnish drops repeated words to avoid sounding clunky. You do not need to say vaan se perustuu valheeseen. Because valheeseen is in the exact same case as todellisuuteen, it is instantly clear that the missing verb applies to it.

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