Meidän täytyy siivota keittiö ennen kuin vieraat saapuvat.

We have to clean the kitchen before the guests arrive.

Breakdown of Meidän täytyy siivota keittiö ennen kuin vieraat saapuvat.

• keittiö: the kitchen
• me: we
• täytyä: to have to
• siivota: to clean
• ennen kuin: before
• vieras: the guest
• saapua: to arrive

Questions & Answers about Meidän täytyy siivota keittiö ennen kuin vieraat saapuvat.

Why does the sentence begin with Meidän instead of simply me?

In Finnish, when expressing obligation with the modal verb täytyy, the subject is typically put in the genitive case. Meidän literally means “of us” and forms part of the fixed expression that translates to “we have to…”. This construction emphasizes that the obligation applies to us, rather than using the nominative me.

Why is the verb siivota in its base (infinitive) form rather than being conjugated?

Modal constructions in Finnish, such as those with täytyy, require the main verb to be in its uninflected base (infinitive) form. This is similar to English, where you say “I have to clean” rather than “I have to cleans.” The form siivota remains unchanged regardless of the subject.

What role does ennen kuin play in the sentence?

Ennen kuin is a subordinating conjunction meaning “before.” It introduces the subordinate clause vieraat saapuvat (“the guests arrive”), thereby establishing the time relation that the kitchen must be cleaned prior to the guests’ arrival.

How is the subordinate clause vieraat saapuvat structured, and what does it indicate?

In vieraat saapuvat, vieraat is the subject meaning “the guests” and saapuvat is the verb meaning “arrive.” The clause follows a standard subject-verb order in Finnish and indicates the event that must occur after the kitchen cleaning is completed.

How can I construct a similar sentence to express necessity in Finnish?

You can use the pattern: “[Subject in genitive] täytyy + [infinitive verb] + [object].” For example, “Minun täytyy lukea kirja” means “I must read a book.” Notice how the subject minun (of me) is in the genitive case, followed by täytyy, and then the main verb lukea (to read) in its base form.

Are there alternative ways to express obligation in Finnish besides using täytyy?

Yes, another common expression is on pakko. For example, you could say “Meidän on pakko siivota keittiö ennen kuin vieraat saapuvat” to convey a similar sense of necessity. While on pakko is also correct, täytyy is very frequently used in everyday Finnish to express “must” or “have to.”