# How to decline compound words in Finnish?



## kakamme

When in Finnish you decline compound words, which one do you decline, the first one, the second one or both? For example how do you say ''I like Formula One'' in Finnish?

''I like football'' would be ''pidan jalkapallosta'', but how can I say ''I like Formula One'' in Finnish?


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## Grumpy Old Man

We usually just say: _Pidän formuloista,_ but of course you can say: _Pidän formula ykkösistä/yhdestä._


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## Hakro

I'm sorry to disagree, GOM. _Pidän formuloista_ is a commonly used but incorrect expression. _Formula_ doesn't mean neither a racing car nor a certain racing car class, it means simply _kaava_ or _sääntö_. There is (or has been) Formula 1, 2, 3, 4, Formula Libre, Formula Ford and whatever. If you say _Pidän formuloista_ it means that you like all these classes.

_Pidän formula-ykkösistä_ (note the hyphen, it's a compound!) can mean either "I like Formula One racing cars" or "I like Formula One races". _Pidän formula-yhdestä_ is seldom heard although it's grammatically correct; _Pidän formula-ykkösestä_ is more common.

To answer the original question: There are different cases.

Generally only the last part is declined.

If the first part is an adjective, it's possible but not necessary to decline also the first part. Both _mustamakkaraa_ and _mustaamakkaraa_ is correct. On the other hand, the first part of _isoisä_ and similar words is never declined. In some cases the only correct way is to decline both parts, for example _nuoripari - nuorenparin._


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## Grumpy Old Man

Hakro said:


> I'm sorry to disagree, GOM. _Pidän formuloista_ is a commonly used but incorrect expression. _Formula_ doesn't mean neither a racing car nor a certain racing car class, it means simply _kaava_ or _sääntö_. There is (or has been) Formula 1, 2, 3, 4, Formula Libre, Formula Ford and whatever. If you say _Pidän formuloista_ it means that you like all these classes.
> 
> _Pidän formula-ykkösistä_ (note the hyphen, it's a compound!) can mean either "I like Formula One racing cars" or "I like Formula One races". _Pidän formula-yhdestä_ is seldom heard although it's grammatically correct; _Pidän formula-ykkösestä_ is more common.


I know all that. You need not apologize for disagreeing with me. I just wrote what is commonly said, not what linguists consider correct.


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## DrWatson

I don't think this has to do with "linguistic" correctness rather than the language of a specialised subject field. I would say a ordinary Finn with no special background in automobiles or interest in racing would understand "Pidän formuloista" to mean "I like Formula 1 racing", just because Formula 1 is the most widely known and because watching the races is the most common pastime associated with them (as opposed to just being interested in the car mechanics, for instance).


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## kakamme

Okay, now that's clear, thanks.


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