Breakdown of Tuo tummahko pikkuserkku käy sukukokouksessa.
tuo
that
käydä
to visit, to go (and come back)
sukukokous
family gathering
pikkuserkku
second cousin
Questions & Answers about Tuo tummahko pikkuserkku käy sukukokouksessa.
How does the -hko suffix change the meaning of tumma in this sentence?
The suffix -hko (or -hkö depending on vowel harmony) is attached to adjectives to moderate their intensity, working much like '-ish' or 'somewhat' in English. Because tumma means 'dark', tummahko translates to 'somewhat dark' or 'darkish'.
Does tummahko refer to the cousin's skin color, hair color, or clothing here?
When describing a person in Finnish, tumma most commonly refers to someone having dark hair, and occasionally dark eyes or a naturally darker complexion. Calling this cousin tummahko usually implies they just have somewhat dark hair.
Why is the word for second cousin pikkuserkku instead of using the regular adjective for small, pieni?
Pikku is an undeclinable word used primarily as a prefix in established compound words to mean 'little' or 'minor'. While pieni serkku would literally mean a cousin who is physically small, pikkuserkku is the fixed vocabulary word for 'second cousin'.
Why is the family gathering in the inessive case (sukukokouksessa) rather than an illative 'into' case?