Question 1

How is the verb nuorentaa formed from the adjective nuori?

Accepted Answer

It uses the transitivizing suffix -ntaa, which is added to the inflectional stem of the adjective (in this case, nuore-). This suffix turns an adjective into an active verb meaning to make something [adjective]. So nuorentaa literally means to make younger, which translates naturally in this context as makes look younger.

Question 2

If nuorentaa means to make someone younger, how would I say that someone is getting younger themselves?

Accepted Answer

You would use the intransitive equivalent of this suffix, which is -ntua or -ntyä. Adding this to the stem nuore- gives us nuorentua (to get younger or to rejuvenate). The -ntaa verb acts on a separate object, while the -ntua verb describes a change happening to the subject itself.

Question 3

Why is the object sinua in the partitive case here?

Accepted Answer

The partitive is used because the action of making someone look younger is an ongoing, continuous state rather than a completed action with a definitive endpoint. Since the short hair is continuously having this effect on the person, the object must be partitive.

Question 4

Why does the sentence use the singular noun tukka instead of hiukset for hair?

Accepted Answer

Tukka is a singular noun that refers to a person's entire head of hair as a single mass, and it is very common in everyday Finnish. You could absolutely use hiukset instead, but remember that it is a plural word, so the adjective and verb would also need to be pluralized: Lyhyet hiukset nuorentavat sinua.

Lyhyt tukka nuorentaa sinua todella paljon.

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