Questions & Answers about Me huusimme apua yhden tunnin.
Why is yhden tunnin in the accusative case here?
This sentence demonstrates the accusative of time. When you express the duration of an action as a whole, specific amount of time (like 'for one hour'), it follows the rules for total objects. Because the sentence is affirmative, the time duration takes the genitive-accusative -n ending.
Since the verb huutaa takes a partitive object, shouldn't the time duration also be in the partitive?
This is a very common B1 trap! The verb only controls the case of its actual object (here, apua). The time duration is a separate modifier. Time expressions follow the total object rules completely independently of what case the main object is in.
Why is the main object apua in the partitive case?
The verb huutaa (to shout) usually takes a partitive object when you are shouting for something. The action is directed at an unbounded concept, so apu (help) becomes apua.
How would the time duration change if this were a negative sentence?
Just like regular total objects, if the sentence becomes negative, the time duration must change to the partitive case. For example, 'We didn't shout for an hour' would be Me emme huutaneet apua yhtä tuntia.
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