kalasta

Kalasta is the elative case form of the Finnish noun kala, meaning fish. In Finnish grammar the elative suffix -sta or -stä is used to express source, origin, or material, which gives kalasta the sense of “from the fish” or “out of fish” depending on context. It is not a standalone noun but a grammatical form of kala.

Etymology and form: The base noun kala meaning fish combines with the elative suffix -sta to create kalasta. As with other elative forms, its meaning shifts with the surrounding words and the intended sense of origin, source, or material. The form is part of standard modern Finnish and appears in both everyday and written language.

Usage: Kalasta is commonly used to describe objects, substances, or concepts that originate from or are derived from fish. Examples include phrases describing ingredients or materials, such as kalasta valmistettu ruoka (food made from fish) or kalasta saatava proteiini (protein obtained from fish). It can also appear in discussions of by-products, processes, or origins related to fish.

Grammatical notes: Kalasta is one inflected form of kala and does not function as an independent lexical item. Its exact meaning is determined by context, particularly the verbs and nouns that accompany it. In translating or interpreting kalasta, it is often appropriate to render it as “from the fish,” “from fish,” or “made from fish,” depending on the sentence.

See also: kala, kalastus, elatiivi case, Finnish grammar.