Breakdown of Minä matkailen mieluummin kuin urheilen.
minä
I
kuin
than / like / as (also in "before …")
mieluummin
rather
urheilla
to exercise (do sports)
matkailla
to travel (for leisure or tourism)
Questions & Answers about Minä matkailen mieluummin kuin urheilen.
Why do we use the adverb mieluummin here instead of a verb meaning 'to prefer'?
Finnish doesn't have a direct single verb for 'prefer doing an action'. Instead, you use the active verb for the thing you want to do (matkailen) and add the comparative adverb mieluummin (rather / more gladly).
Why is the second verb urheilen also conjugated in the 'I' form instead of using an infinitive?
When comparing two actions using kuin (than), both verbs must be in the exact same conjugated form to keep the sentence balanced. Since you are the one traveling (matkailen), it must be urheilen (I do sports) rather than the basic form urheilla.
Is there a difference between matkailen and the more common word matkustan for 'I travel'?
Yes. Matkustaa generally means moving from point A to point B. The verb used here, matkailla, is a continuous or frequentative version that means traveling around for leisure, touring, or having travel as a hobby.
What is the root of the word mieluummin?
It is the comparative form of the adverb mielellään (gladly / with pleasure), and both come from the noun mieli (mind or mood). Literally, matkailen mieluummin translates to 'I travel more gladly'.
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