Auto on nopea, kuten juna.

to be

Breakdown of Auto on nopea, kuten juna.

• auto: the car
• juna: the train
• nopea: fast
• kuten: such as

Questions & Answers about Auto on nopea, kuten juna.

What does Auto on nopea, kuten juna mean in English?

It translates to "The car is fast, like a train." Here, auto means "car", on is the linking verb "is", nopea means "fast", kuten means "like", and juna means "train".

How is the sentence structured in Finnish, and is the word order flexible?

The sentence follows a simple structure: Subject (auto) + Verb (on) + Predicate Adjective (nopea) + Comparison (kuten juna). Finnish word order is quite flexible due to its inflectional nature, but this arrangement is common and natural for making clear statements and comparisons.

What is the role of the word kuten in this sentence?

Kuten functions as a conjunction that introduces a simile. It means "like" or "as" in English and is used here to compare the speed of the car to that of a train.

Why is juna not inflected after kuten? Should it be in a different case?

In Finnish, when using kuten to introduce a simile, the noun that follows remains in the nominative case. So juna stays in its base form. This is standard practice and differs from other comparative structures where a different case might be required.

When should I use kuten instead of other comparative forms like kuin or niin kuin?

Use kuten when you want to form a simile—that is, to describe a characteristic by comparing it in a metaphorical or illustrative way (e.g., "The car is fast, like a train"). Kuin is often used for direct comparisons involving degrees (e.g., "faster than"), and niin kuin can add emphasis in more complex comparisons. In this sentence, kuten is the best fit for drawing a simple, descriptive comparison.