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Questions & Answers about Minä ostin herkun kaupasta.
Why is Minä used when subjects are often dropped in Finnish?
In Finnish, the verb ending already shows the subject person (“ostin” is 1st person singular past). Including Minä is optional and adds emphasis or clarity. Without it, Ostin herkun kaupasta. is perfectly correct and means the same thing.
What case is herkun, and why isn’t it herkku?
Herkun is the accusative/genitive form of herkku (treat). In affirmative, transitive past or perfect sentences, Finnish often uses the object in the accusative if it’s a single, complete object. So ostin herkun (“I bought the treat”) uses accusative -n instead of nominative.
Why is kaupasta in the form “-sta”? What does that mean?
Kaupasta is the elative case of kauppa (shop), marked by -sta/-stä, meaning “out of” or “from.” Here it indicates the source: “from the shop.”
Could I say kauppa instead of kaupasta?
No. Just saying Minä ostin herkun kauppa. is ungrammatical. The source “from the shop” requires the elative -sta, so you must say kaupasta.
What tense is ostin, and how is it formed?
Ostin is the past simple (imperfect) of ostaa (to buy). You form it by removing the infinitive -aa ending and adding -in for 1st person singular:
• ostaa → osta- → ostin
Could I use a partitive for herkku, like herkkua, instead?
Yes, but it changes the nuance. Ostin herkkua kaupasta (partitive) suggests you bought some amount of treat, perhaps a portion or unspecified quantity. The accusative herkun implies a whole, countable item (e.g., one cake).
Is the word order fixed here, or can I move words around?
Finnish has flexible word order. You can say, for example:
• Kaupasta ostin herkun. (Emphasizes from the shop.)
• Herkun minä ostin kaupasta. (Emphasizes the treat or I.)
Basic SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) is common, but you can reorder to highlight information.