Breakdown of Me varmistamme matkustamon, ennen kuin laskeutuminen alkaa.
me
we
alkaa
to start
matkustamo
cabin (in a vehicle)
ennen kuin
before (conjunction)
laskeutuminen
landing
varmistaa
to ensure
Questions & Answers about Me varmistamme matkustamon, ennen kuin laskeutuminen alkaa.
Why is there a comma before ennen kuin?
In Finnish, you must use a comma to separate the main clause (Me varmistamme matkustamon) from a subordinate clause. Since ennen kuin starts a subordinate temporal clause (a clause telling you when something happens), a comma is strictly required right before it.
What is the difference between using ennen kuin here versus just ennen?
You use ennen kuin when the next part of the sentence is a full clause with its own subject and verb (here, laskeutuminen alkaa). If you only had a noun phrase without a conjugated verb, you would use ennen as a preposition with the partitive case, like in ennen laskeutumista (before landing).
Why is the object matkustamon in the genitive-looking case instead of the partitive?
The verb varmistaa (to secure) takes a total object when the action is carried out completely on a specific target. Putting matkustamo (cabin) into the genitive form matkustamon shows that the entire cabin is being secured, and the action is viewed as a complete process.
How is the word laskeutuminen (landing) constructed?
It is a noun made from the verb laskeutua (to descend or to land). By taking the verb stem laskeutu- and adding the -minen suffix, you create a verbal noun that means the action of doing that verb, much like adding -ing in English.
Why do we use the verb alkaa for begins here, rather than aloittaa?
Alkaa is used when something begins on its own (it is intransitive), like the landing here: laskeutuminen alkaa. You would use aloittaa if a specific person is actively starting an object, for example if the pilot begins the landing.
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