Question 1

Why is the train expressed as junalla instead of just juna?

Accepted Answer

In Finnish you show “by means of” (instrument) with the adessive case ending -lla/-llä. Here juna (train) becomes junalla, literally “on the train” or “by train,” which corresponds to English by train. You don’t need a separate preposition like by—the case ending does the job.

Question 2

Why is the time phrase tänä vuonna and not just tänä vuosi?

Accepted Answer

When you say “in this year” you use the inessive case ending -ssa/-ssä, which marks the time during which something happens. So vuosi becomes vuonna. tänä is the demonstrative meaning this, and it agrees with the case of vuonna in the phrase tänä vuonna (“this year”).

Question 3

Why does the sentence include Minä when the verb form matkustan already shows that it’s “I”?

Accepted Answer

Finnish verbs are fully inflected for person and number, so you could drop the subject pronoun and still understand who’s doing the action. However, adding Minä can:  
• add emphasis or contrast (“I, personally, will travel”)  
• improve clarity in longer or more complex sentences  
• simply reflect a more formal style

Question 4

How can the present tense matkustan refer to something in the future?

Accepted Answer

In Finnish, the present tense is commonly used for plans or scheduled future events. So matkustan can mean “I travel,” “I am traveling,” or “I will travel” depending on context. Here tänä vuonna (“this year”) makes it clear you’re talking about a future plan rather than something happening right this minute.

Question 5

What’s the difference between junalla and junassa?

Accepted Answer

• junassa is the inessive case (-ssa/-ssä), meaning “in the train.”  
• junalla is the adessive case (-lla/-llä), meaning “on/by the train” (instrumental use).  
So if you say istun junassa, you’re in the train; if you say matkustan junalla, you’re traveling by train.

Question 6

Can I change the word order in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Finnish has flexible word order used to highlight different parts:  
• Tänä vuonna minä matkustan junalla.  (emphasizes this year)  
• Minä junalla matkustan tänä vuonna.  (emphasizes traveling by train)  
• Junalla matkustan minä tänä vuonna.  (a bit poetic; stresses by train)  
Just remember: the verb usually stays close to its subject, and your meaning must stay clear.

Question 7

Why use matkustan instead of another verb like menen?

Accepted Answer

• matkustaa means “to travel,” focusing on the journey itself.  
• mennä means “to go,” focusing on movement or destination (“I go by train this year”).  
If you want to highlight the act of traveling or the experience, matkustan is more precise.

Question 8

Could I say “I will travel by train this year” in Finnish more explicitly?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you want to stress the future you can add a temporal auxiliary or phrase:  
• Aion matkustaa junalla tänä vuonna. (“I intend/plan to travel by train this year.”)  
• Or simply rely on context; matkustan + tänä vuonna is usually enough in Finnish to convey a plan.

Minä matkustan junalla tänä vuonna.

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