Learn Hardcore Finnish: Neuvottelu alkaa huomenna. - The negotiation begins tomorrow.

Neuvottelu literally means negotiation or consultation, but in everyday Finnish it’s often used for a formal meeting or talks between parties.

Why is there no article (“a” or “the”) before neuvottelu?

Finnish does not have grammatical articles. Context tells you whether it’s a specific meeting or any meeting. If you really need to say “a negotiation,” you can add yksi (“one”): Yksi neuvottelu alkaa huomenna (“A negotiation starts tomorrow”).

What case is neuvottelu in, and why?

It’s in the nominative singular because it’s the subject of the sentence. In Finnish, the subject of an intransitive verb stays in the nominative case.

What type of word is huomenna, and what does it mean?

Huomenna is a temporal adverb meaning “tomorrow.” It doesn’t change for case or number; you just use it to indicate time.

Why is the verb alkaa in the present tense, even though it refers to the future?