Ole varovainen myös kävellessäsi, sillä liukas katu voi aiheuttaa onnettomuuksia.

Be careful also when walking, because a slippery street can cause accidents.

Breakdown of Ole varovainen myös kävellessäsi, sillä liukas katu voi aiheuttaa onnettomuuksia.

• olla: to be
• myös: also
• kävellä: to walk
• voida: can
• katu: the street
• liukas: slippery
• sillä: because
• varovainen: careful
• aiheuttaa: to cause
• onnettomuus: the accident

Questions & Answers about Ole varovainen myös kävellessäsi, sillä liukas katu voi aiheuttaa onnettomuuksia.

What does the word kävellessäsi mean, and how is it formed grammatically?

kävellessäsi comes from the verb kävellä (to walk) and is transformed into an adverbial participle. The suffix -ssä indicates the inessive case, meaning “in” or “while,” and the attached possessive suffix -si denotes “your.” Together, it translates to “while you are walking” and functions to specify when the caution applies.

Why is the imperative form Ole varovainen used at the beginning of the sentence, and what does it imply?

Ole varovainen is the imperative form of olla (to be), which directly issues the command “Be careful.” The use of the imperative here sets a clear, direct tone for caution, urging the listener to take care, particularly in the context that follows.

How does the conjunction sillä function in this sentence, and why might it be chosen over a word like koska?

In this context, sillä serves as a causal conjunction meaning “because” or “for.” It introduces the reason behind the warning, linking the need for caution to the potential danger of a slippery street. While koska also means “because,” sillä is often used in formal or explanatory contexts where the speaker is justifying their advice.

What role does the adjective liukas play in the sentence?

The adjective liukas means “slippery” and directly modifies the noun katu (street). By describing the street as slippery, it explains the hazard that could lead to accidents, thereby reinforcing the need for the listener to be cautious.

Why is the noun onnettomuuksia in the partitive case, and what does that indicate?

onnettomuuksia is the partitive plural form of onnettomuus (accident). In Finnish, the partitive case is used to refer to an indefinite or partial amount, especially after modal verbs like voi (can). Its use here indicates that a slippery street can cause accidents in a general, non-specific sense rather than referring to a defined set or number of accidents.