Breakdown of Kun rakennat, tarkista pituus mittanauhalla.
kun
when (conjunction)
rakentaa
to build
tarkistaa
to check
pituus
the height / the length
mittanauha
the measuring tape
Questions & Answers about Kun rakennat, tarkista pituus mittanauhalla.
Why does mittanauhalla end in -lla instead of using a separate word for "with"?
In Finnish, the adessive case (-lla or -llä) is used to show the instrument or tool you use to do something. So instead of adding a preposition like "with", you just add -lla to mittanauha (measuring tape) to mean "with a measuring tape".
Why is the object pituus in its basic form instead of taking the -n ending like pituuden?
This is a special rule for commands. Because the verb tarkista (check) is an imperative (a command), its total object drops the usual -n ending. Therefore, the object looks exactly like the basic dictionary form.
The dictionary form of the verb "to build" is rakentaa. Why does it change to rakennat here?
This happens because of consonant gradation. When you add the personal ending -t (for "you"), it closes the final syllable. That closed syllable forces the strong -nt- in rakentaa to soften into the weak -nn- in rakennat.
What are the individual words that make up mittanauha?
It is a compound word made of mitta (a measure or measurement) and nauha (a tape, ribbon, or string). Finnish frequently combines basic nouns like this to create names for specific tools.
Learn Kun rakennat, tarkista pituus mittanauhalla and more in Finnish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free