Suomessa talvi on usein kylmempi kuin monissa muissa maissa.

In Finland, winter is often colder than in many other countries.

Breakdown of Suomessa talvi on usein kylmempi kuin monissa muissa maissa.

• olla: to be
• -ssa: in
• usein: often
• kylmä: cold
• talvi: the winter
• monta: many
• Suomi: Finland
• kuin: than
• muu: other
• maa: the country

Questions & Answers about Suomessa talvi on usein kylmempi kuin monissa muissa maissa.

Why is the place "Finland" expressed as Suomessa instead of just Suomi?

Suomessa is the inessive form of Suomi. In Finnish, locations are indicated by adding the inessive ending -ssa (or -ssä depending on vowel harmony), meaning "in Finland." This case marking replaces the need for a preposition like "in" as used in English.

How is the comparative adjective kylmempi formed from the base adjective kylmä?

The adjective kylmä (cold) becomes kylmempi to express the comparison "colder." Finnish typically forms the comparative by adding the suffix -mpi to the adjective, much like adding -er in English (e.g., "colder"). While most adjectives follow this pattern, some can be irregular.

What role does the word kuin play in this sentence?

Kuin translates to "than" and is used to introduce the second element in a comparison. In this sentence, it connects the idea that "winter in Finland is often colder" with the benchmark "than in many other countries."

Why are both monissa and muissa inflected the same way, and what do they mean?

Both adjectives monissa (many) and muissa (other) appear in the inessive plural form because they modify the noun maissa (countries), which is also in the inessive plural. In Finnish, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in case and number. Thus, monissa muissa maissa translates to "in many other countries."

What is the function of the adverb usein in the sentence?

Usein means "often" and serves as an adverb modifying the comparative kylmempi. Its placement indicates that the condition of winter being colder is not absolute but occurs frequently, adding a nuance of frequency to the comparison.

How does the sentence structure in Finnish compare to English word order, considering this example?

Finnish word order is more flexible than English because grammatical roles are primarily indicated by case endings rather than strict word position. In this sentence, starting with Suomessa immediately sets the context ("in Finland"), and the following structure clearly conveys the comparison. Although the order might seem different from the typical English structure, the endings ensure that each word's function is understood.