Breakdown of Kenen on tarkoitus kylvää nämä jyvät?
tämä
this
olla
to be
kuka
who
kylvää
to sow
tarkoitus
purpose, intention
jyvä
grain
Questions & Answers about Kenen on tarkoitus kylvää nämä jyvät?
How does the on tarkoitus structure work here with the question word kenen?
The on tarkoitus (is supposed to / is intended to) construction requires the person performing the action to be in the genitive case. Because we are asking "who", the subject kuka becomes its genitive form kenen. Literally, this translates to "Whose intention is it to sow..."
Why is the object nämä jyvät in the nominative case?
Plural total objects (meaning all of these specific grains are being sown) always take the nominative plural form. However, it is a great B2 reminder that on tarkoitus behaves like a necessity structure (similar to täytyy). In these structures, even a singular total object drops the genitive-accusative ending and takes the nominative form (for example, Kenen on tarkoitus kylvää tämä jyvä?).
Why isn't the verb kylvää conjugated to match a subject?
In this structure, on tarkoitus acts as the conjugated main clause, and it always pairs with the 1st infinitive (the dictionary form) of the action verb. Therefore, kylvää remains in its basic, unconjugated form regardless of who is doing the sowing.
Could we use on määrä instead of on tarkoitus in this sentence?
Yes, but it changes the nuance slightly. Kenen on määrä kylvää sounds more like "Who is scheduled/assigned to sow", pointing to an external plan, roster, or agreement. Kenen on tarkoitus kylvää focuses a bit more on the intention or purpose behind the plan ("Who is supposed to / who intends to").
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