Breakdown of Tuolla vuorella saattaa tapahtua lumivyöry.
tuo
that
tapahtua
to happen
vuori
mountain
saattaa
may, might
lumivyöry
the avalanche
Questions & Answers about Tuolla vuorella saattaa tapahtua lumivyöry.
How does the modal verb saattaa work in this sentence?
It expresses probability or possibility, meaning "might" or "may". Like most modal verbs in Finnish, it requires the 1st infinitive of the main verb, which is why we see tapahtua right after it.
Why is the subject lumivyöry at the very end of the sentence?
This is a classic existential sentence. Instead of starting with "an avalanche", Finnish starts with the location (Tuolla vuorella), followed by the verb phrase (saattaa tapahtua), and introduces the new subject at the end. This structure is used to express that something exists or happens in a specific place.
If we were talking about multiple avalanches, would saattaa conjugate to a plural form?
No, it would stay exactly the same. In existential sentences (Location + Verb + Subject), the verb is always in the 3rd person singular, even if the subject is plural. So, "avalanches might happen" would be Tuolla vuorella saattaa tapahtua lumivyöryjä.
What is the difference between using saattaa and just saying ehkä?
Both express possibility. You could say Ehkä tuolla vuorella tapahtuu lumivyöry ("Maybe an avalanche happens on that mountain"). However, saattaa acts as a modal verb directly modifying the action, which often sounds more elegant or integrated in Finnish than simply adding the adverb ehkä.
Learn Tuolla vuorella saattaa tapahtua lumivyöry and more in Finnish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free