Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Finnish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Juna lähtee pian.
Why is the verb lähtee in the present tense if the train is leaving in the future?
Finnish does not have a dedicated future tense. To talk about things happening in the future, you use the standard present tense along with a time-related word like pian (soon) or huomenna (tomorrow) to provide the context.
What is the dictionary form of lähtee, and why does it have a double 'e'?
The dictionary form is lähteä (to leave). It is a Type 1 verb. To form the third-person singular (he/she/it leaves), you take the stem lähte- and double the final vowel, which gives you lähtee.
Does the verb lähteä undergo consonant gradation here?
Yes, but it stays in the strong grade here. Type 1 verbs keep their strong grade in the third person. The consonant combination ht is strong in juna lähtee (the train leaves), but it drops to the weak grade hd in the first person, like in minä lähden (I leave).
Could I use the word kohta instead of pian?
Yes, absolutely! Both pian and kohta translate to 'soon' and are often interchangeable. Kohta generally feels a tiny bit more immediate, like 'shortly' or 'in just a moment', but both work perfectly for a train departing.