ruokailuaan

Ruokailuaan is a Finnish word that translates to "their eating" or "their meal" in English. It is a possessive form of the noun "ruokailu," which means "eating" or "meal." The suffix "-aan" indicates the third-person plural possessive, meaning that the eating or meal belongs to "them."

The word can be used in various contexts. For example, "Lapset olivat ruokailuaan" could mean "The children were having their meal" or "The children were in the process of eating." It can also refer to the act of eating itself, such as "Heikki tarkkaili ruokailuaan" translating to "Heikki observed their eating habits." The specific meaning often depends on the surrounding words and the overall context of the sentence.

In Finnish grammar, the possessive suffixes are attached directly to the noun they modify. "Ruokailuaan" is formed by taking the base word "ruokailu," adding the genitive case ending "-n" (making it "ruokailun"), and then adding the third-person plural possessive suffix "-aan." This grammatical structure is common in Finnish for indicating possession.

Understanding "ruokailuaan" requires knowledge of Finnish possessive suffixes and noun declensions. It is a functional word that helps to specify who is performing or engaged in the action of eating.