kaasusta

Kaasusta is the elatiivi singular form of the Finnish noun kaas u, meaning gas. In Finnish grammar, elatiivi marks origin or source and is also used to indicate the topic of discussion with certain verbs. As a topic marker, kaasusta answers the question “about what?” in contexts such as discussions, explanations, or descriptions.

The form is commonly used after verbs that take a topic expressed with jostakin (the elatiivi). For example, Puhuin kaasusta means “I talked about gas,” and Keskustelimme kaasusta energianlähteenä means “We discussed gas as an energy source.” Kaasusta can also appear in scientific or technical writing to describe processes or relations involving gas, for instance: Kaasusta voi muodostua useita yhdisteitä (“Several compounds can form from gas”).

Usage notes and related forms: The base word is kaas u (gas). Other case forms convey different meanings, such as kaasussa (in the gas) for in-situ or enclosed contexts, and kaasusta (the elatiivi) for origin or topic. The choice between kaasusta and other cases depends on the surrounding verb and intended nuance. In everyday language, kaasusta is most frequent when referring to discussions, explanations, or phenomena involving gas rather than physical location inside a gas. Kept in mind, the elatiivi is a versatile tool for indicating “from/about” in Finnish, and kaasusta is one of its common realizations.