Maljakossa on halkeama.

There is a crack in the vase.

Breakdown of Maljakossa on halkeama.

• olla: to be
• maljakko: the vase
• halkeama: the crack; fissure

Questions & Answers about Maljakossa on halkeama.

What does maljakossa mean, and why is there no separate word for in?

Maljakossa means in the vase.

It is made from:

• maljakko = vase
• -ssa = the inessive case ending, which often means in

So Finnish does not need a separate word like English in here. The idea of in is built into the noun ending.

With cracks, holes, and similar defects, Finnish often uses this kind of structure even when English might think more in terms of the surface.

Why does maljakko become maljakossa with only one k?

This is because of consonant gradation.

The basic form is maljakko, but when certain endings are added, the word uses a weaker stem:

• maljakko
• maljakon
• maljakossa

So kk becomes k in these forms.

This is a normal pattern in Finnish, although not every word behaves the same way.

Why is the ending -ssa and not -ssä?