ruskeaa

Ruskeaa is the partitive singular form of the Finnish adjective ruskea, meaning brown. It is used to describe brown color when the noun it modifies is indefinite or when the object is treated as a mass or quantity. In Finnish, adjectives agree with the noun in number and case, and the partitive singular form ends with -aa or -ä, depending on vowel harmony. The nominative singular is ruskea, while the plural forms are ruskeat (nominative) and ruskeita (partitive).

Usage notes: the partitive is common after negation or with verbs that indicate incomplete quantity or perception, and it is also used with mass nouns or plural nouns in partitive constructions. For example, ruskeaa kahvia means brown coffee (indefinite quantity) and ruskeaa sokeria means brown sugar. For plural references, you would typically use ruskeita kahveja or ruskeita leipiä to mean brown coffees or brown breads.

Common examples:

- Ostan ruskeaa kahvia. (I buy brown coffee.)

- Minulla on ruskeaa sokeria. (I have brown sugar.)

- Hän haluaa ruskeita kahveja. (They want brown coffees.)

Related notes: ruskea as a color term covers various brown hues, from light to dark, and is used across everyday contexts to describe objects, foods, and natural materials. The form ruskeaa specifically marks indefiniteness or a partitive context in a sentence.

See also: Finnish color terms, Finnish adjectives, Finnish grammar.