Breakdown of Me tarvitsemme yhdet pinsetit tätä tehtävää varten.
tämä
this
me
we
yksi
one
tarvita
to need
tehtävä
task
varten
for
pinsetit
tweezers
Questions & Answers about Me tarvitsemme yhdet pinsetit tätä tehtävää varten.
Why do we use the plural form yhdet instead of the singular yksi?
Because pinsetit (tweezers) is a "pluralia tantum" word—a noun that only exists in the plural form, just like "tweezers" or "scissors" in English. Whenever you count a noun that is grammatically plural, you must use plural numerals (yhdet, kahdet, kolmet). Therefore, yhdet pinsetit means "one pair of tweezers".
Why is the object yhdet pinsetit in the nominative form instead of the genitive or partitive?
It is actually in the plural accusative case, which happens to look exactly like the plural nominative (ending in -t). Because we need a whole, complete pair of tweezers, the verb tarvita (to need) requires a total object. Since the object is plural, we use the plural accusative.
Could I just say Me tarvitsemme pinsetit without yhdet?
Yes, absolutely. Just like in English, saying tarvitsemme pinsetit (we need tweezers) is perfectly natural. You only add yhdet when you specifically want to emphasize the exact quantity (one pair).
Why is tätä tehtävää in the partitive case?
It is required by the postposition varten (for / for the purpose of). The word varten always forces the noun or noun phrase immediately preceding it into the partitive case.
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