Breakdown of Varovainen opiskelija tekee tenttiä hikisin käsin.
opiskelija
student
tehdä
to do
käsi
hand
tentti
the exam
Questions & Answers about Varovainen opiskelija tekee tenttiä hikisin käsin.
Why use the instructive case hikisin käsin instead of the adessive hikisillä käsillä for "with sweaty hands"?
While the adessive (-lla/-llä) usually translates to "with an instrument", the instructive case (-n) is often used in fixed expressions describing how an action is done. It is especially common with body parts, like paljain jaloin (barefoot) or kaksin käsin (with both hands). In these idiomatic phrases, the instructive case sounds much more natural and is treated as a set phrase.
How is the modifier hikisin formed from the dictionary form hikinen?
The instructive case is almost always plural, so it is built on the plural stem. For adjectives ending in -nen like hikinen, the basic stem is hikise-. To make it plural, the -e- changes to -i-, giving the plural stem hikisi-. Finally, add the instructive ending -n to get hikisin. Notice that the adjective modifier must agree in case and number with the noun käsin.
Why is the object tenttiä in the partitive case rather than the total object form tentin?
The partitive tenttiä is used here because the action is ongoing and irresultative. The student is currently in the process of taking the exam. If the sentence meant the student had completely finished the exam, you would use a total object form, though Finns usually prefer the verb suorittaa (to complete) for that meaning, resulting in suorittaa tentin.
Why does the Finnish sentence use the verb (does/makes) instead of a translation for "takes"?