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Questions & Answers about Pöly on harmaata.
Why is the adjective harmaata in the partitive case instead of the nominative harmaa?
Because the subject, pöly (dust), is an uncountable mass noun. When you describe a mass noun or an abstract concept using the verb olla (to be), the describing adjective (the subject complement) must be in the partitive case.
If pöly is an uncountable mass noun, why isn't it also in the partitive case (pölyä)?
In a standard description sentence like this one (A is B), the subject at the beginning of the sentence stays in the nominative case. We mostly put mass noun subjects into the partitive case in existential sentences, such as when stating that some of it exists somewhere (for example: Pöydällä on pölyä - There is dust on the table).
How is the partitive ending attached to harmaa?
The basic dictionary form is harmaa, which ends in a long vowel (two of the same vowel). For words ending in a long vowel or a diphthong, the partitive ending is -ta or -tä. Because of vowel harmony with the back vowel 'a', we use -ta, giving us harmaata.