Question 1

How does the -kas suffix change the meaning of the base word in juonikas?

Accepted Answer

The suffix -kas (or -käs) indicates that something has an abundance of a certain quality. The base word here is the noun juoni, which means a plot, scheme, or trick. By adding -kas, we get juonikas, meaning someone who is full of schemes—in other words, cunning or scheming.

Question 2

Could I use kiinnostunut instead of kiinnostava here?

Accepted Answer

No, because they describe different sides of the feeling. Kiinnostava is an active participle meaning interesting (the character is causing the interest). Kiinnostunut is a passive participle meaning interested (someone is experiencing the feeling). A character is kiinnostava to the reader, who then becomes kiinnostunut.

Question 3

Why is the adjective kiinnostava in the nominative case here rather than the partitive (kiinnostavaa)?

Accepted Answer

The subject of the sentence, hahmo (character), is a singular, countable noun. When describing a specific, whole, countable noun, the predicative adjective at the end of the sentence takes the nominative case. If the subject were an uncountable concept, an emotion, or an abstract action, the adjective would take the partitive.

Question 4

Can hahmo refer to a real person, or is it only for fictional characters?

Accepted Answer

While hahmo very often refers to a fictional character in a book or movie, it can also mean a figure in a broader sense. For example, you can use it to talk about a public figure (julkinen hahmo) or a shadowy physical figure you see in the dark.

Juonikas hahmo on kiinnostava.

Breakdown of Juonikas hahmo on kiinnostava.

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