ruohoa

Ruohoa is the partitive singular form of the Finnish noun ruoho, meaning grass, turf, or forage. In everyday Finnish, ruohoa refers to grass as vegetation found in lawns, meadows, or pastures, and also to the material that grazing animals eat. The term is used across agricultural, horticultural, and casual contexts to describe an indefinite amount or portion of grass rather than a specific quantity.

Etymology: The word ruoho comes from Finnish for grass and turf, with cognates in other Finnic languages. The ending -a marks the partitive case in modern Finnish, which is used when referring to an unspecified amount or when the object is not counted.

Usage: Common constructions include antaa ruohoa (to give grass), syödä ruohoa (to eat grass), and laidun ruohoa (pasture grass). With numerals or quantifiers, the partitive form is used: paljon ruohoa, vähän ruohoa. In agricultural contexts, ruohoa often refers to forage consumed by livestock or to meadow grasses used for grazing.

Ecology and agriculture: Ruohoa plays a central role in grazing systems and turf management. The composition and quality of ruohoa depend on the forage grasses in a field, soil fertility, moisture, and seasonal growth. Finnish pasture management aims to maintain sufficient and high-quality ruohoa for livestock.

See also: Grass, Forage, Pasture, Turf.