Breakdown of Kumpi on liian katkeraa, tämä kahvi vai tuo tee?
tämä
this
olla
to be
tuo
that
vai
or (in questions)
Questions & Answers about Kumpi on liian katkeraa, tämä kahvi vai tuo tee?
Why is kumpi used here instead of mikä for "which"?
Kumpi specifically means "which of the two". Because you are comparing exactly two options (this coffee or that tea), you must use kumpi. If there were three or more options, you would use mikä.
Why is katkeraa in the partitive case when the nouns (kahvi, tee) are in the nominative case?
When describing an uncountable substance like coffee or tea (mass nouns), the adjective following the verb "to be" (the predicate adjective) must be in the partitive case. So, "the coffee is bitter" becomes kahvi on katkeraa.
Could I use tai instead of vai for "or" in this sentence?
No. In Finnish, vai is used exclusively in questions when you are asking someone to choose between mutually exclusive alternatives. Tai is used in statements or when the options are not mutually exclusive. Since this is a direct question asking to pick one of the two drinks, vai is required.
What is the difference between tämä and tuo?
Tämä means "this" (close to the speaker), and tuo means "that" (further from the speaker but usually still visible). This sentence contrasts the drink right here (tämä kahvi) with the drink over there (tuo tee).