Breakdown of Me purjehdimme, kun sää on hyvä.
olla
to be
me
we
hyvä
good
sää
the weather
kun
when (conjunction)
purjehtia
to sail
Questions & Answers about Me purjehdimme, kun sää on hyvä.
Does the word kun change the word order in the second half of the sentence?
No, it doesn't! Unlike some other European languages, Finnish subordinate clauses with kun (when) keep the normal subject-verb word order. You just say sää on hyvä exactly as you would if it were a standalone sentence.
Why is there a comma before kun?
In Finnish punctuation, you almost always need a comma to separate the main clause (Me purjehdimme) from a subordinate clause (kun sää on hyvä). English often leaves this comma out, but in Finnish it is a strict rule.
Why is the verb spelled purjehdimme instead of purjehtimme?
This is due to consonant gradation. The dictionary form of the verb is purjehtia (to sail). When you add the -mme ending, it closes the syllable, causing the strong -ht- combination to weaken into -hd-.
Can this sentence refer to a future sailing trip?
Yes! Finnish does not have a separate future tense. Depending on the context, this sentence can mean a general habit (whenever the weather is good) or a future plan (we will sail when the weather is good).
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