Breakdown of Urheilija juoksee kilometrin mahdollisimman nopeasti.
nopeasti
fast
juosta
to run
mahdollisimman
as ... as possible
urheilija
athlete
kilometri
kilometer
Questions & Answers about Urheilija juoksee kilometrin mahdollisimman nopeasti.
Why is kilometrin in the genitive-accusative case here rather than the partitive?
Because it is an exact measure of distance. In Finnish, specific distances, weights, and amounts act as direct objects. Since this is an affirmative sentence expressing a set goal or a completed unit, it takes the total object case (the genitive-looking accusative kilometrin) rather than the partitive.
What if the sentence was negative ("The athlete doesn't run a kilometer")? Would the case change?
Yes, it would. Because expressions of distance follow the exact same grammatical rules as standard direct objects, they must be in the partitive case in a negative sentence. You would say Urheilija ei juokse kilometriä.
Since running is an ongoing action, could we use the partitive kilometriä in an affirmative sentence?
You could, but it changes the focus. Using the partitive kilometriä emphasizes the incomplete, ongoing process (e.g., "the athlete is currently in the middle of running a kilometer"). Using the total object kilometrin frames that kilometer as a single, complete goal that the athlete intends to finish.
How exactly does the phrase mahdollisimman nopeasti translate to "as fast as possible"?
The word mahdollisimman is the genitive form of mahdollisin, which is the superlative of mahdollinen (possible). In Finnish, placing mahdollisimman directly in front of an adjective or an adverb—like nopeasti (fast)—creates a fixed structure that means "as [fast] as possible."
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