Learn Hardcore Finnish: Syksy voi olla viileämpi kuin kevät, mutta se ei aina ole vaarallinen. - Autumn can be cooler than spring, but it is not always dangerous.

Voi is a modal verb that indicates possibility. In this context, it means that autumn “may be” or “can be” cooler than spring, rather than stating it as a definitive fact.

How is the comparative form viileämpi formed from the adjective viileä?

The comparative form viileämpi is created by adding the suffix -mpi to the base adjective viileä, turning it into “cooler.” This construction is then used with kuin to set up the comparison with spring.

What role does the word kuin play in this sentence?

Kuin functions as the comparative conjunction, much like “than” in English. It links the adjective viileämpi (“cooler”) to the noun kevät (“spring”), indicating what autumn is being compared to.

How is negation expressed in the phrase ei aina ole vaarallinen, and what is the significance of the word order?

Negation is expressed by using the negative marker ei together with the adverb aina (“always”) before the main verb ole (“is”). Finnish typically places ei right before the adverb and verb, meaning “is not always dangerous.” This ordering clearly indicates the negation of a consistent state.

Why is the adjective vaarallinen not given a comparative form in this sentence?

The sentence contrasts two different qualities: one part compares the temperature (making use of the comparative viileämpi), while the second part simply negates an absolute state regarding danger. Vaarallinen remains in its basic form since the intended idea is that autumn isn’t always dangerous, without measuring “dangerousness” on a scale.