Säädä näyttöä, jos silmäsi väsyvät liiasta valosta.

Adjust the screen if your eyes become tired from too much light.

Breakdown of Säädä näyttöä, jos silmäsi väsyvät liiasta valosta.

• jos: if
• -sta: from
• sinun: your
• näyttö: the screen
• säätää: to adjust
• silmä: the eye
• väsyä: to become tired
• liian: too much
• valo: the light

Questions & Answers about Säädä näyttöä, jos silmäsi väsyvät liiasta valosta.

What does Säädä mean, and how is its imperative form used in this context?

Säädä is the imperative form of the verb säätää, which means “to adjust” or “to regulate.” In this sentence, it serves as a command telling you to adjust the display.

Why is näyttöä in the partitive case rather than the nominative?

In Finnish, the partitive case is often used with verbs that imply a partial or ongoing action. Here, näyttöä (from näyttö, meaning “display” or “screen”) appears in the partitive to suggest that you’re meant to adjust aspects or settings of the display rather than changing it in a definitive, complete way.

How does the conditional clause jos silmäsi väsyvät liiasta valosta function in the sentence?

The clause begins with jos, which means “if,” setting up a condition. It informs you that the command to adjust the display should be carried out when your eyes get tired from too much light. This structure links the cause (excessive light causing fatigue) to the suggested action.

What is the significance of silmäsi in the sentence and how is it formed grammatically?

Silmäsi is derived from the noun silmä, meaning “eye.” By adding the possessive suffix -si, it becomes “your eye.” Even though it is technically singular, in context it is understood to refer to your eyes in general, a common usage in Finnish when giving general advice or instructions.

Why are both liiasta and valosta in the partitive case, and what does that imply?

Both liiasta and valosta use the partitive case to indicate an indefinite, unquantified amount. Valosta (from valo, meaning “light”) in the partitive stresses that you’re referring to an excess of light rather than a measurable amount. Liiasta agrees with valosta in form, emphasizing that it is an excessive or overwhelming amount of light causing the fatigue.

How does the Finnish sentence structure compare to its English equivalent?

The Finnish sentence begins with an imperative command followed by a conditional clause, similar to the English “Adjust the display if your eyes get tired from too much light.” However, while English relies heavily on word order and prepositions to convey meaning, Finnish uses grammatical case endings (like the partitive) to clarify relationships between words. This makes the Finnish construction more flexible in terms of word order while still communicating the same overall idea.