Breakdown of Vanhempi sukupolvi säästää rahaa, nuoriso taas kuluttaa enemmän.
vanha
old
raha
money
säästää
to save (money, resources)
enemmän
more (comparative of paljon)
sukupolvi
generation
kuluttaa
to consume
nuoriso
the youth (young people)
taas
whereas / on the other hand (by contrast)
Questions & Answers about Vanhempi sukupolvi säästää rahaa, nuoriso taas kuluttaa enemmän.
Why is taas placed after nuoriso instead of at the beginning of the second clause?
When taas is used to express contrast ('whereas' or 'on the other hand'), it does not start the clause like an English conjunction would. Instead, it is placed immediately after the word or topic it is contrasting, which in this case is nuoriso. This placement acts almost like an enclitic particle, highlighting the shift in focus from the older generation to the youth.
I originally learned that taas means 'again'. How does it mean 'whereas' here?
While taas typically means 'again' in basic contexts, its function changes in coordinating clauses when comparing two things. Placing it right after a new subject transforms it into an adverbial connector of contrast. You will frequently see it used exactly like this to contrast two opposing groups, habits, or situations.
Why is the verb kuluttaa in the singular form if nuoriso refers to a large group of young people?
In Finnish, collective nouns that describe a group of people, such as nuoriso (the youth), perhe (family), or kansa (the people/nation), are treated as grammatically singular. Because of this rule, they must take a singular verb, unlike English where 'the youth' often takes a plural verb.
How are the nouns sukupolvi and nuoriso constructed?
Sukupolvi is a compound word made of suku (family or kin) and polvi (knee), originating from an old way of counting family descent by 'knees' or joints. Nuoriso is formed by combining the adjective nuori (young) with the collective suffix -so, which turns it into a noun meaning the entire demographic of young people.
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