Breakdown of Lasissa on vajaat viisi millilitraa uutta liuosta.
olla
to be
uusi
new
lasi
glass
viisi
five
vajaa
short (in amount) / incomplete
millilitra
the millilitre
liuos
the solution
Questions & Answers about Lasissa on vajaat viisi millilitraa uutta liuosta.
Why is vajaat in the plural form when the number viisi is singular?
This is a special syntax for estimating measurements. When using adjectives like vajaat (just under) or reilut (just over / a good) before a number to approximate an amount, the adjective takes the plural nominative form, even though the numeral itself remains in the singular nominative.
With the plural vajaat, shouldn't the verb be the plural ovat instead of on?
No, the verb remains singular because this is an existential sentence (a "there is" sentence) starting with the location Lasissa. In Finnish existential sentences, the verb is always in the third-person singular (on), regardless of the quantity or plural words that follow.
Why are both millilitraa and uutta liuosta in the partitive case?
They are in the partitive for different but linked reasons. The word millilitraa is partitive because it directly follows a number greater than one (viisi). Then, uutta liuosta is partitive because it represents the uncountable mass or substance that is being quantified by the millilitres.
Could I just say vähän alle instead of vajaat?
Yes, vähän alle viisi millilitraa means essentially the same thing and is grammatically correct. However, mastering vajaat (and its opposite, reilut) is a key B2 skill that makes your spoken and written Finnish sound much more natural and idiomatic when discussing measurements.
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