Learn Hardcore Finnish: Aion harjoitella suomea joka päivä, jotta ymmärrän sen paremmin. - I intend to practice Finnish every day so that I understand it better.

Aion is the first-person singular present form of the verb aikoa, meaning "I intend to" or "I plan to." Although it appears in the present tense, it expresses a future intention in Finnish.

How is a future action expressed in Finnish, given that there isn’t a dedicated future tense?

Instead of a future tense, Finnish uses the present tense along with verbs like aikoa to indicate future intentions or plans. In this sentence, Aion implies that the action will occur in the future.

What does harjoitella mean in this context, and why might it be used instead of opiskella?

Harjoitella means "to practice" or "to train" and is often used when talking about practicing a skill, such as speaking a language. By using harjoitella instead of opiskella (which means "to study"), the speaker emphasizes the repetitive, skill-enhancing practice that will help improve understanding.

What is the function of joka päivä in the sentence?

Joka päivä translates to "every day." It specifies the frequency of the action, indicating that the speaker practices Finnish daily.

How does the conjunction jotta work in this sentence?

Jotta introduces a subordinate clause expressing purpose. It means "so that" or "in order to," clarifying that the daily practice is intended to help the speaker understand Finnish better.

What does the pronoun sen refer to in ymmärrän sen paremmin?

Sen is a pronoun referring back to suomea (Finnish). It avoids the repetition of the noun and means "it," so the clause translates to "I understand it better."