Question 1

Why is entistä in the partitive case here?

Accepted Answer

In Finnish, when you form a comparative without the word kuin (than), the thing you are comparing against must be in the partitive case. Entistä is the partitive of entinen (former/previous). So, entistä nopeammin literally means "more quickly than the former."

Question 2

Why does the sentence use nopeammin instead of the comparative adjective nopeampi?

Accepted Answer

We need an adverb here because it describes the verb jauhat (how you grind), not a noun. Nopeampi is the comparative adjective (for example, a faster grinder), while nopeammin is the comparative adverb (meaning to grind faster or more quickly). The entistä structure works seamlessly with both adjectives and adverbs.

Question 3

Why is the object pavut (beans) not in the partitive case?

Accepted Answer

Because the action of grinding these specific beans is viewed as a complete process, it requires a total object. For plural nouns, the total object takes the accusative case, which looks identical to the nominative plural (ending in -t). If you were grinding an open-ended amount (just some beans), you would use the partitive plural papuja.

Question 4

Could I say this using the word kuin (than)?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you could say kuin ennen (than before) instead. The sentence would become Miksi jauhat pavut nopeammin kuin ennen? Both mean the exact same thing, but using the partitive entistä is a very natural and compact way to express this in Finnish.

Miksi jauhat pavut entistä nopeammin?

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