Breakdown of Kun potilaan kunto kohentuu, hän tervehtyy.
hän
he / she
kun
when (conjunction)
kunto
fitness
potilas
the patient
Questions & Answers about Kun potilaan kunto kohentuu, hän tervehtyy.
Tervehtyy looks a lot like the verb for "to greet". Are they related?
Yes, they share the root word terve (healthy/sound). However, the verb for "to greet" is tervehtiä (he greets = hän tervehtii). In this sentence, we have the inchoative verb tervehtyä (with a -y-), which specifically means "to become healthy" or "to get well" (he gets well = hän tervehtyy).
How does the -ntua suffix work in the verb kohentua (to improve)?
The suffix -ntua indicates an automatic change of state, meaning something happens by itself (intransitive). It contrasts with the transitive verb kohentaa (to improve something). While a doctor might kohentaa (actively improve) a treatment plan, the patient's condition simply kohentuu (improves on its own).
Could I use paranee instead of kohentuu for the condition improving?
Yes, Kun potilaan kunto paranee is perfectly natural and means the same thing. Kohentua is just a slightly more descriptive way to say "to improve" or "to pick up," and it is very frequently paired with the word kunto (condition/fitness) in Finnish.
The English translation says "he will get well", but the Finnish verbs are in the present tense. How do we know it's future?