Tarttuinko

Tarttuinko is a Finnish verb form that functions as an interrogative, used to ask whether the speaker grabbed or held onto something in the past. It is derived from the verb tarttua, meaning to grab, seize, or cling.

Formation and meaning: The form combines the verb stem tarttu- with the question suffix -inko (or -kö, depending on vowel harmony). This creates a first-person singular, yes-no question about a past action: “Did I grab/hold on?” The exact tense is determined by the broader sentence context and the surrounding verb forms.

Usage: Tarttuinko appears mainly in spoken Finnish and in narrative text when the speaker is recalling a past action and seeks confirmation. It can be used with a direct object or complement to specify what was grabbed or held, for example with a rope or a railing. The phrase can also carry metaphorical sense in certain contexts, referring to whether one seized an opportunity or held on to a lead.

Related forms: The -ko/-kö question suffix attaches to other verb forms to form similar past-person questions, such as tarttuuko? (does he grab?), tarttuivatko? (did they grab?). The base verb tarttua belongs to Finnish verbs of flexible usage in both literal and figurative senses.

Notes: In Finnish, the subject is typically implicit in the verb form, so tarttuinko does not require an explicit subject pronoun minä unless emphasis is needed.