Questions & Answers about Onko pula syy tähän viivästykseen?
The current lesson is about the word johtuen (due to), but this sentence doesn't use it. Why?
The word johtuen is used to say 'due to' or 'resulting from', acting as a postposition. Here, we aren't saying 'due to the shortage', but rather asking if the shortage is the actual noun 'reason' (syy) for the delay. Using syy requires a different grammatical structure altogether.
Why is 'this delay' in the illative case (tähän viivästykseen)?
The noun syy (reason or cause) requires its target to be in the illative case. While in English you say 'the reason for this', in Finnish you literally say 'the reason into this' (syy tähän). This is a strict case rection you must memorize for syy.
How would I rephrase this sentence to actually use the lesson's target grammar (elative + johtua/johtuen)?
To use the lesson's grammar, you could rephrase the English to 'Does this delay result from the shortage?' This translates to Johtuuko tämä viivästys pulasta? Notice how pula goes into the elative case (pulasta) when paired with the verb johtua (to result from), which is the base verb for johtuen.
Could I use the word myöhästyminen instead of viivästys for 'delay' here?
You could, but they have different nuances. Myöhästyminen specifically implies that someone or something (like a train or a person) is arriving late compared to a set time. Viivästys refers to a process, project, or delivery being prolonged or held up. In the context of a shortage (pula), viivästys is usually the much more natural choice.
Learn Onko pula syy tähän viivästykseen and more in Finnish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free