Breakdown of Sääntö jäi muuttumattomaksi monen vuoden ajaksi.
aika
time (concept, duration)
jäädä
to stay
vuosi
year
sääntö
rule
moni
many (a)
muuttumaton
unchanged
Questions & Answers about Sääntö jäi muuttumattomaksi monen vuoden ajaksi.
Why is muuttumattomaksi in the translative case here?
This is the core rule for the verb jäädä (to remain or stay). When jäädä describes a state or condition that something ends up in or remains in, that state must take the translative case (-ksi). Here, the rule remains in the state of being muuttumaton (unchanged).
How is the word muuttumattomaksi built from its root?
It comes from the verb muuttua (to change). First, we add the negative suffix -maton to create an adjective meaning "unchanged" or "unchanging" (muuttumaton). When we add the translative -ksi ending to it, the word's stem changes to muuttumattoma-, giving us muuttumattomaksi.
The word ajaksi also ends in -ksi. Is that also caused by the verb jäi?
No, this is a totally different use of the translative case! While the verb jäädä forces muuttumattomaksi into the translative, the word ajaksi (from aika, meaning time) uses the translative to express an intended duration ("for a time"). It is simply a coincidence that this sentence features two completely different grammatical rules requiring the translative case side by side.
Why are monen and vuoden in the genitive case?
They are describing the word aika (time or duration). The phrase literally translates to "for the time of many years." In Finnish, expressing that something happens "for a [duration]" is often done with this exact structure: the length of time in the genitive case (monen vuoden) followed by ajaksi.
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