Minä aion opiskella suomea huomenna.

I am going to study Finnish tomorrow.

Breakdown of Minä aion opiskella suomea huomenna.

• minä: I
• suomi: Finnish
• opiskella: to study
• huomenna: tomorrow
• aikoa: to intend

Questions & Answers about Minä aion opiskella suomea huomenna.

Why is the personal pronoun minä used here? Is it always required?

In Finnish, subject pronouns like minä (“I”) are optional because the verb ending already shows the person. The form aion tells you it’s first person. You include minä mainly for emphasis or clarity. At the beginning of a sentence it’s capitalized (Minä), but mid-sentence you’d write it lowercase (minä) if you choose to include it.

What exactly is aion? Which verb does it come from, and what tense or meaning does it carry?

aion is the first person singular present indicative of the verb aikoa, which means “to intend.” In English you’d translate aion as “I intend to” or “I’m going to.” It’s a way to express your own plan or intention about a future action.

Why is the verb opiskella in its infinitive form?

After modal verbs like aikoa, the main verb stays in the basic (first) infinitive form, which ends in -lla (here opiskella, “to study”). The pattern is: aikoa + [first infinitive] = “intend to do …”

Why is suomea in the partitive case, and not nominative suomi?

When you study or learn a language, it’s treated as an incomplete or ongoing activity, so the partitive (suomea) is used for the direct object. It also signals “some amount of Finnish” rather than the whole language as a completed entity.

Why is huomenna placed at the end of the sentence? Can it go somewhere else?

Finnish word order is flexible. You can put time-words like huomenna (“tomorrow”) at the start, middle, or end:

• Huomenna minä aion opiskella suomea.
• Minä huomenna aion opiskella suomea.
• Minä aion opiskella suomea huomenna.
  Each choice slightly shifts the emphasis but the meaning stays the same.

What’s the difference between Minä aion opiskella suomea huomenna and Minä opiskelen suomea huomenna?

Both can talk about a future action. Using aion opiskella highlights your intention or plan (“I’m going to study”), while the simple present opiskelen can also mean “I’ll study” as a statement of schedule or fact. The modal aikoa adds a nuance of “I really plan to.”

Does Finnish have a future tense? How do speakers normally talk about future events?

Finnish has no separate future tense. The present tense covers both present and future contexts. To make future plans or intentions clear, speakers often use:

• aikoa (“intend to”)
• meinaan (colloquial “plan to”)
• tulla
  • infinitive (“will do …”)
    Otherwise, a plain present verb can imply the future if the time-word (like huomenna) makes it obvious.