Kysymyspäälause

Kysymyspäälause is a Finnish grammatical term referring to a sentence that functions as a question. These sentences are characterized by their interrogative nature, seeking information or confirmation. In Finnish, questions can be formed in several ways, and the term kysymyspäälause encompasses all these variations.

One common method for forming a question is by using interrogative words such as kuka (who), mikä (what), missä (where), milloin (when), miksi (why), and miten (how). When these words appear at the beginning of a sentence, it typically signals a question. For example, "Kuka tuli?" (Who came?) is a kysymyspäälause.

Another way to form a question in Finnish is through the use of the question particle "ko" or "kö". This particle is suffixed to the word that the question is primarily about, usually the verb or the subject. For instance, "Tuliko hän?" (Did he/she come?) is a kysymyspäälause using the question particle. The choice between "ko" and "kö" depends on vowel harmony.

Intonation also plays a role in distinguishing a question from a statement in spoken Finnish, though grammatical markers are generally more definitive in written form. A declarative sentence can sometimes be turned into a question simply by raising the pitch at the end, but the presence of interrogative words or question particles is the most reliable indicator of a kysymyspäälause. These sentences are fundamental to constructing dialogues and eliciting responses in the Finnish language.