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Questions & Answers about Teidän autonne on iso.
Why is possession expressed in two parts in “Teidän autonne on iso”?
Finnish often marks possession both with an independent possessive pronoun (teidän) and a possessive suffix on the noun (-nne in autonne). The suffix directly attaches to the noun “auto” to show who owns it, while the separate pronoun reinforces or clarifies the possessor. In many contexts, the suffix alone is enough, but using both is acceptable and can add extra emphasis or clarity.
Why is “teidän” used instead of “sinun” in this sentence?
Finnish differentiates between singular and plural (or formal) second-person possessives. The pronoun teidän is used when addressing more than one person or when speaking in a formal manner, whereas sinun would be used for one person in an informal setting. Thus, “Teidän autonne on iso” implies that the car belongs to multiple people or is being addressed politely.
What does the possessive suffix “-nne” add to the noun “auto”?
The suffix -nne transforms auto (meaning “car”) into autonne, indicating that the car belongs to “you (plural/formal).” This single suffix attaches directly to the noun, serving a role similar to the English possessive form (like adding ’s), and it aligns with the possessor mentioned by teidän.
Why doesn’t the adjective “iso” change to reflect the possession or number?
In Finnish, predicate adjectives like iso (meaning “big”) remain uninflected regardless of the subject’s form. Even though autonne carries a possessive suffix, the adjective does not take any endings to show possession or number because Finnish adjectives in predicate positions simply describe the subject’s state without additional inflection.
What is the dictionary form of “autonne” and how is it modified in this sentence?
The dictionary or base form is auto, which means “car.” In the sentence, the base form receives the possessive suffix -nne to become autonne, indicating that the car belongs to “you (plural/formal)” as specified by teidän.