Breakdown of Joskus pimeä tie on vaarallinen, joten ole varovainen, kun ajat autolla.
olla
to be
auto
the car
kun
when
-llä
on
pimeä
dark
joten
so
tie
the road
joskus
sometimes
vaarallinen
dangerous
varovainen
careful
ajaa
to drive
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Questions & Answers about Joskus pimeä tie on vaarallinen, joten ole varovainen, kun ajat autolla.
What does joten mean and how is it used in this sentence?
Joten is a conjunction meaning "so" or "therefore". It connects the two parts of the sentence—first stating that a dark road can be dangerous and then giving the advice to be careful—by indicating that the second clause is a consequence of the first.
Why is the phrase ole varovainen constructed the way it is, and who is being addressed?
Ole varovainen is an imperative construction. Ole is the imperative form of olla (to be), and varovainen is an adjective meaning "careful". Finnish often drops the subject in imperatives, so it directly tells the listener to be careful.
What is the role of autolla in the sentence, and why is it written with the -lla ending?
Autolla is in the adessive case, marked by the -lla ending. This case is used to indicate means or proximity, so in this context it means "by car" or "with a car." It tells us the mode of transportation when driving.
Why does the clause kun ajat autolla not include an explicit subject, and what does this imply?
In Finnish, the verb conjugation already shows who the subject is, so it is common to omit the subject pronoun. The verb ajat is in the second person singular form, implying "you drive," making the sentence concise without losing clarity.
How do adjectives agree with the nouns they describe, as exemplified by pimeä tie?
In Finnish, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in both case and number. In pimeä tie, pimeä (dark) is in the nominative singular form, matching tie (road), which is also nominative singular. This agreement ensures that the adjective and noun work together grammatically.