Questions & Answers about Epäilys on vahva, mutta minä olen epävarma.
How does the prefix epä- work in the word epävarma?
The prefix epä- works much like the English prefixes "un-", "in-", or "non-". By attaching it to the adjective varma (certain/sure), you get its exact opposite: epävarma (uncertain/unsure). It is one of the most common ways to form antonyms in Finnish.
Does the word epäilys (suspicion) also use the epä- prefix?
Yes, it does! It comes from the verb epäillä (to doubt or suspect). The root of this verb is actually the negative prefix epä- attached to a verb ending. So, "to doubt" literally evolved from the concept of "negating" or "not believing" something.
I've also seen the word epäily. What is the difference between epäily and epäilys?
They are very similar and often used interchangeably to mean "suspicion" or "doubt." However, epäily usually focuses on the continuous act of suspecting (as an action noun derived from the verb), while epäilys feels more like a discrete, standalone noun describing a specific feeling or instance of doubt, which fits perfectly here.
Why are vahva and epävarma in the nominative case instead of the partitive case?
When you use the verb olla (to be) to link a subject to an adjective, the adjective takes the nominative case if the subject is a whole person or a specific, individual concept. Here, vahva describes epäilys (a specific, singular feeling), and epävarma describes minä (a person). You would only use the partitive if the subject was an uncountable mass noun, like water or weather.