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Questions & Answers about Milloin hän tulee?
Does the word order change when we use milloin?
No, the word order is very straightforward. You just start with the question word milloin (when), followed by the subject hän (he/she), and then the verb tulee (comes). Unlike English, you don't need to swap the subject and verb or add helper words like "is" or "does".
The translation says "When is he coming?", but could hän also mean "she"?
Yes! The Finnish pronoun hän does not indicate gender. It means both "he" and "she". The exact same sentence, Milloin hän tulee?, means "When is she coming?" if you are talking about a woman.
Why does tulee translate to "is coming" instead of just "comes"?
It can mean both! Finnish doesn't have a separate continuous tense like English does. The single present tense verb tulee covers both "comes" and "is coming".
Since the arrival is happening later, shouldn't there be a future tense verb?
Finnish actually doesn't have a dedicated future tense! You use the normal present tense verb tulee for both present and future actions. The context, combined with the word milloin (when), makes it clear that the action will happen in the future.