Happamammaksi

Happamammaksi is a Finnish grammatical form used to express that something is becoming more sour or acidic. It is the translative form (-ksi) of the comparative adjective happamampi, meaning “more sour.” In Finnish, the translative case marks a change of state, so happamammaksi is used in clauses describing a process in which flavor or acidity increases, typically with verbs of becoming such as tulla or muuttua.

Morphology: The form is built from the comparative stem happam- with the suffix -ampi to form happamampi (“more sour”). Attaching the translative suffix -ksi yields happamammaksi. The combination often involves phonological assimilation, which can produce the double-m in the middle of the word.

Usage: Happamammaksi is common in culinary, fermentation, and sensory descriptions. Example: Kun mehu käy, siitä tulee hapamammaksi. In this sentence, the juice is described as undergoing a change toward greater sourness as it ferments.

Related forms and note: Happanta or hapanta means sour in the positive form, while happamampi is the straightforward comparative form. Happamammaksi specifically signals a change of state toward increased sourness.

See also: Finnish grammar, translative case, comparative degree.