Minä viivytelen, koska bussi on myöhässä.

I delay because the bus is late.

Breakdown of Minä viivytelen, koska bussi on myöhässä.

• minä: I
• olla: to be
• koska: because
• bussi: the bus
• myöhäinen: late
• viivytellä: to delay

Questions & Answers about Minä viivytelen, koska bussi on myöhässä.

What tense and person is used in the verb viivytelen?

The verb viivytelen is in the present tense and is conjugated in the first-person singular. It comes from the verb viivytellä, which means “to delay” or “to procrastinate.” Finnish verbs include the subject information in their endings, so even if the subject is dropped, the meaning remains clear.

Why is the subject pronoun Minä explicitly stated, even though Finnish verb conjugations already indicate the subject?

While Finnish verbs do indicate the subject through their conjugation, the pronoun Minä (“I”) is often included for emphasis or clarity. This explicit inclusion can be especially helpful for beginners who are still getting used to the language’s syntax, as it mirrors the explicit subject use common in English sentences.

What role does the word koska play in this sentence?

Koska is a subordinating conjunction that means because. It introduces the subordinate clause bussi on myöhässä, which explains the reason for the action in the main clause Minä viivytelen.

Why is there a comma before koska in the sentence?

In Finnish, it is common to place a comma before subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like koska. The comma helps to clearly separate the main clause from the subordinate clause, indicating that the latter provides additional causal information.

Can you explain the structure of the subordinate clause bussi on myöhässä?

Certainly. The subordinate clause bussi on myöhässä consists of three parts:

• bussi: the subject (meaning “bus”),
• on: the copula (the present tense form of olla, meaning “is”),
• myöhässä: a predicate that describes the state of the subject (meaning “late”).
  This clause functions to explain why the speaker is delaying.

What is the grammatical function of myöhässä and how is it formed?

Myöhässä serves as a predicative complement that describes the state of the bus. It is derived from the adjective myöhäinen (late) but is used in a form that fits the Finnish predicate construction. In this context, it acts similarly to an adverbial or an adjective in a predicative position, conveying the condition “late” without the need for an explicit linking word.

Are there alternative words or constructions to express the idea of “because” in Finnish besides koska?

Yes, another common option is sillä, which can also indicate a reason or a cause in certain contexts. However, koska is often preferred for directly introducing a subordinate clause that explains the reason, as it closely aligns with the English “because.” The choice between koska and other expressions like sillä can depend on the sentence structure and the emphasis desired.