Breakdown of Kun aalto on iso, kapteeni ohjaa varovasti.
olla
to be
iso
big
varovasti
carefully
kun
when (conjunction)
kapteeni
captain
ohjata
to steer
aalto
wave
Questions & Answers about Kun aalto on iso, kapteeni ohjaa varovasti.
Could I use milloin instead of kun to mean 'when' in this sentence?
No, you must use kun. Milloin is a question word used to ask 'when?' (like in Milloin tulet? - When are you coming?). Kun is a conjunction used to connect two clauses, telling us that something happens at the same time as something else.
Does starting with the kun clause change the word order in the second half of the sentence?
No, it doesn't! Unlike some other languages, Finnish doesn't flip the verb and subject in the main clause just because a subordinate clause came first. Kapteeni ohjaa varovasti keeps its normal Subject-Verb order.
How do we know that varovasti (carefully) is an adverb?
The ending -sti in Finnish works a lot like the ending '-ly' in English, turning adjectives into adverbs. It is related to the adjective varovainen (careful). Recognizing the -sti ending is a great trick for spotting adverbs at this level!
What is the dictionary form of the verb ohjaa?
The dictionary form is ohjata (to steer or guide), which is a Type 4 verb. To find the stem for a Type 4 verb, you drop the -ta or -tä ending, leaving us with ohjaa-. In the third-person singular (he/she/it), the verb matches this stem exactly, which gives us kapteeni ohjaa.
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