Breakdown of Onko mahdollista erottaa kopio aidosta jalokivestä?
olla
to be
mahdollinen
possible
erottaa
to distinguish / tell apart
aito
genuine
kopio
copy
jalokivi
gem
Questions & Answers about Onko mahdollista erottaa kopio aidosta jalokivestä?
Why does this sentence use the elative case (aidosta jalokivestä) for "from a genuine gem"?
The verb erottaa (to distinguish, to separate) requires the elative case (-sta/-stä) for the thing you are distinguishing or separating something from. In Finnish grammar, you conceptually separate the copy "out of" the genuine gem.
Since kopio is the object being distinguished, why isn't it in the genitive-accusative case (kopion)?
The sentence uses an impersonal structure (Onko mahdollista...). When the main action is an infinitive (erottaa) and there is no specific grammatical subject (like "I" or "the jeweler") performing the action, a total object takes the basic nominative form instead of the -n ending.
Why is mahdollista in the partitive case rather than the basic nominative mahdollinen?
When an adjective describes an infinitive phrase—in this case, the entire action of distinguishing the gems—it must be in the partitive case. Expressions like "It is possible..." or "It is important..." followed by a verb always use the partitive (e.g., On mahdollista..., On tärkeää...).
Does erottaa have other common meanings at this level?
Yes! Besides "to distinguish" or "to separate," erottaa is very commonly used to mean "to fire" or "to dismiss" someone from a job. It can also mean "to discern" or "to make out" a detail, like spotting a shape in the dark.
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