Learn Finnish: Biokaasun kannattavuus paranee nopeammin kuin uskoimme. - The profitability of biogas improves faster than we believed.

Biokaasun kannattavuus paranee nopeammin kuin uskoimme.

The profitability of biogas improves faster than we believed.

Breakdown of Biokaasun kannattavuus paranee nopeammin kuin uskoimme.

than / before (in 'ennen kuin') / like / as

parantua

to get better, to heal (recover)

Questions & Answers about Biokaasun kannattavuus paranee nopeammin kuin uskoimme.

This lesson is about the niin ... kuin ... -kin structure. Why does kuin just mean 'than' here?

In this sentence, kuin acts as a simple conjunction meaning 'than' because it follows the comparative adverb nopeammin (faster). While you are currently practicing the fixed phrase niin ... kuin ... -kin (both ... and / as well as), it's good to be reminded of the most common everyday use of kuin so you don't overthink it when you see it on its own!

How is the noun kannattavuus (profitability) built?

It is built in layers. It starts with the verb kannattaa (to be worthwhile / to make sense). Adding the suffix -va gives you the adjective kannattava (profitable). Finally, adding the noun-forming suffix -uus gives you kannattavuus (profitability).

What is the infinitive of paranee, and why don't we use parantaa here?

The verb is parata (verb type 4), which means 'to get better' or 'to improve' on its own (intransitive). If you used parantaa, it would mean someone is actively improving or curing something else (transitive). Since the profitability is improving on its own, parata is the correct choice. You could also use its common synonym parantua (parantuu).

How does the comparative adverb nopeammin differ from the comparative adjective ?