Talvi täällä on pitkä ja kylmä, mutta se voi olla myös kaunis.

Winter here is long and cold, but it can also be beautiful.

Breakdown of Talvi täällä on pitkä ja kylmä, mutta se voi olla myös kaunis.

• olla: to be
• myös: also
• ja: and
• täällä: here
• mutta: but
• kaunis: beautiful
• kylmä: cold
• se: it
• voida: to be able
• talvi: the winter
• pitkä: long

Questions & Answers about Talvi täällä on pitkä ja kylmä, mutta se voi olla myös kaunis.

Why is the pronoun se used in the second clause instead of repeating talvi?

In Finnish, it’s common to avoid repetition by using a pronoun. Once the subject talvi (winter) is introduced, se serves as a shorthand reference to it. This not only avoids redundancy but also helps to maintain a smooth flow between the contrasting clauses.

What is the role of the adjectives pitkä and kylmä following the linking verb on?

These adjectives function as predicate adjectives that describe the subject talvi. In Finnish, adjectives that describe the subject typically come after the linking verb (here on, which means “is”) rather than before the noun. They remain in the nominative case, agreeing with talvi and directly attributing qualities to it, much like a complement in English.

How does the modal construction voi olla express possibility in this sentence?

The phrase voi olla combines the modal verb voi (meaning “can” or “may”) with olla (meaning “to be”) to express possibility. In this sentence, it indicates that although the current state of winter is long and cold, there is also a potential for it to be beautiful. This contrast adds nuance to the overall description.

What function does the word myös serve in the segment myös kaunis?

The word myös translates to “also” in English. In the phrase myös kaunis, it introduces an additional quality that winter can have. Despite describing winter as long and cold, myös signals that it has the additional, perhaps unexpected, quality of being beautiful.

Why is the adverb täällä placed immediately after talvi, and what effect does this word order have?

Finnish word order is relatively flexible and is often used to emphasize particular elements of a sentence. Placing täällä (meaning “here”) directly after talvi highlights the specific location or context to which the description applies. This positioning stresses that the characteristics being described pertain to the winter experienced in that particular place.