Modifiers
Modifiers describe a word or make the meaning of the word more specific.
Adjective as a modifier
Adjective is a typical modifier. The head of a phrase and modifier have the same case. Look at the examples in the sentence types -article:
- Minä syön makeaa leipää.
- I eat sweet bread.
- Hän opiskelee suomalaista kirjallisuutta.
- He studies Finnish literature.
- Minä syön suuren leivän.
- I eat a large bread.
- Minä en syö vanhaa leipää.
- I do not eat (any) old bread.
As you can see, you add the modifier before the head of the phrase. All the adjective modifiers and the head has the same case. Also in existential sentences:
- Suurella pihalla on uusi auto.
- There is a new car on the large yard.
Adverb as a modifier
Adverbs typically answer such questions as how?, when?, where?, in what way? how much?, or how often?
Adverbs modify verbs and adjectives modify nouns.
- when? – eilen (yesterday), tänään (today), huomenna (tomorrow), aina (always), joskus (sometimes)
- Where? – ylös (up), alas (down), ulos (out)
- How? – nopeasti (fast), varovasti (carefully), mielelläni (gladly)
- >How much? – paljon (a lot), hiukan (a little)
Most of the adverbs can be placed practically anywhere in the sentence:
- Huomenna minä menen kouluun.
- Minä menen huomenna kouluun.
- Minä menen kouluun huomenna.
- (I'm going to the school tomorrow.)
Adverbs have typically only one (or very few) forms, so that's why they don't inflect in cases, like adjective modifiers:
- Minä syön paljon leipää.
Now you should be able to produce lot of different kinds of sentences:
- Eilen söin koulussa paljon makeaa leipää.
- Yesterday I ate a lot of sweet bread in the school.
- Tänään opiskelen suuressa vanhassa koulussa.
- Today I study in a large old school.
You are here > Frontpage > grammar > syntax > Modifiers: adjectives and adverbs