Breakdown of Kampaatko hiukset, vaikka ne ovat lyhyet?
olla
to be
ne
they / those (non-human) / they (of people)
lyhyt
short
hius
the hair (single strand)
vaikka
although / even though
kammata
to comb
Questions & Answers about Kampaatko hiukset, vaikka ne ovat lyhyet?
Why is the verb kampaatko spelled with 'mp' when the dictionary form is kammata?
The verb kammata belongs to verb type 4. These verbs undergo reverse consonant gradation when conjugated. The weak grade mm in the infinitive becomes the strong grade mp in the personal forms, such as the second-person singular kampaat. Then the question clitic -ko is added.
Why does the sentence use ne ovat (they are) when the English translation says 'it is'?
In Finnish, the word for the hair on your head, hiukset, is plural. Because it is a plural noun, any pronouns and verbs referring to it must also be in the plural. That is why the sentence uses ne ovat (they are) instead of the singular se on (it is).
What case is the object hiukset in here?
It is in the nominative plural. The action of combing applies to the entire head of hair, making it a total object. For plural nouns, the total object is identical to the nominative plural form, ending in -t.
Why does the adjective lyhyet end in a -t?
Adjectives must match the noun they describe in number and case. Since hiukset is in the nominative plural, the base adjective lyhyt (short) must also take the nominative plural form. The stem of lyhyt is lyhye-, to which the plural marker -t is added, forming lyhyet.
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