Breakdown of Maanomistaja tarkistaa välimatkan kymmenen metrin päästä.
kymmenen
ten
tarkistaa
to check
metri
the meter
päästä
from a distance of
Questions & Answers about Maanomistaja tarkistaa välimatkan kymmenen metrin päästä.
Why use the 'from' form päästä if the landowner is just standing there checking it?
In Finnish, verbs involving sensory observation, looking, or checking often take the elative case (the 'from' direction). Even though the person isn't physically moving, the visual information is conceptually traveling from ten meters away to their eyes.
Why do both kymmenen and metrin have the -n ending?
The postposition päästä requires the entire noun phrase it modifies to be in the genitive case. Because this is a phrase of measurement, both the number kymmenen and the unit metrin must take the genitive -n marker.
Is there a difference between tarkistaa and tarkastaa in this context?
Yes! Tarkistaa means to verify a fact, number, or measurement (like making sure the distance is correct). Tarkastaa is generally used for physical inspections, like inspecting a building for flaws or checking a ticket. Here, verifying a distance fits tarkistaa perfectly.
Why is the object välimatkan in the genitive-like accusative rather than the partitive välimatkaa?
Using the -n ending shows that the action is viewed as complete. The landowner isn't just casually checking some part of the distance; they are verifying the specific, full measurement to a conclusion.