Breakdown of Matkakortti toimii bussissa ja raitiovaunussa.
ja
and
-ssa
in
toimia
to work
bussi
the bus
raitiovaunu
the tram
matkakortti
the travel card
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Questions & Answers about Matkakortti toimii bussissa ja raitiovaunussa.
What does the suffix -ssa in bussissa and raitiovaunussa indicate, and why is this case used here?
The suffix -ssa is the inessive case marker, showing location inside something. So bussissa = in the bus and raitiovaunussa = in the tram. With the verb toimia (to function/work), the inessive indicates where the travel card works or is accepted.
Why use the inessive bussissa instead of the adessive bussilla, since English says on the bus?
Finnish separates location from means. The inessive -ssa marks being inside something, while the adessive -lla/llä marks using something as a means or accompanying surface (on/with). Matkakortti toimii bussissa focuses on the location where the card functions. If you say Matkakortti käy bussilla, you use käydä + adessive to mean the card is accepted on the bus as a payment method.
How do you form the inessive singular for bussi and raitiovaunu, and why is there an extra n in raitiovaunussa?
Attach the inessive ending -ssa to the noun stem:
- bussi
- -ssa → bussissa
- raitiovaunu
- -ssa → raitiovaunu-n-ssa → raitiovaunussa
In raitiovaunu, an epenthetic n is inserted before -ssa for easier pronunciation.
- -ssa → raitiovaunu-n-ssa → raitiovaunussa
Why do both bussi and raitiovaunu get the -ssa ending separately instead of sharing it?
When two nouns are joined by ja and share the same case, Finnish requires inflecting each noun. You cannot attach the ending only to the second noun, so both appear in the inessive: bussissa ja raitiovaunussa.
Why are there so many s letters in bussissa, and how do you pronounce that cluster?
The stem bussi already ends in ss, and the inessive suffix adds another ss, giving bussissa with two ss clusters. You pronounce it as a long sː sound, holding the s longer rather than cutting it into two separate sounds.
What does Matkakortti mean, and how is this compound word formed?
Matkakortti is a compound of matka (journey/trip) + kortti (card), literally journey-card. Finnish often forms new words by combining two nouns into one compound, with the main stress on the first part.
What nuance does the verb toimia add here compared to käydä, and when would you use each?
Toimia means to function or work, so Matkakortti toimii bussissa highlights that the card functions correctly on those vehicles. Käydä means to be valid or accepted, so Matkakortti käy bussilla emphasizes its acceptance as payment. Use toimia for a neutral/technical sense and käydä for everyday spoken acceptance.
Why is the verb in this sentence toimii, and how does Finnish verb agreement work?
Finnish verbs agree with the subject in person and number. Matkakortti is third person singular, so toimia takes the present tense marker plus the third-person singular ending, giving toimii.
Why are there no words for the or a in this Finnish sentence?
Finnish has no articles. Definiteness is understood from context, so Matkakortti can mean a travel card, the travel card, or travel cards in general depending on the situation.
Is the word order Matkakortti toimii bussissa ja raitiovaunussa fixed, or can you rearrange it?
Finnish word order is flexible, but SVO (subject-verb-object) is the neutral, unmarked order for clear statements. You can reorder elements for emphasis, but here SVO simply states the fact.