Breakdown of Ennen matkaa tarkistan aina, että passi ja matkalaukku ovat mukana.
minä
I
olla
to be
ja
and
ennen
before
aina
always
tarkistaa
to check
että
that
matka
the trip
passi
the passport
matkalaukku
the suitcase
mukana
with me
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Questions & Answers about Ennen matkaa tarkistan aina, että passi ja matkalaukku ovat mukana.
What case is matkaa in, and why does ennen require that case?
matkaa is the partitive singular form of matka. The preposition ennen always governs the partitive to express “before (something).”
Why is there a comma before että, and what function does että serve here?
että introduces a subordinate clause (“that…”), serving as the object of tarkistan. The comma marks the boundary between the main clause and this subordinate clause in written Finnish.
Why is the verb ovat plural instead of singular?
The subject of the subordinate clause is passi ja matkalaukku, two items. Finnish verbs agree in number with their subject, so you use the plural ovat.
What does mukana mean, and how is it different from mukaan?
mukana is an adverb meaning “present along” or “with (someone),” indicating that something is included or accompanies you. mukaan also means “along,” but it emphasizes movement into a group or direction (“take something along”). Here ovat mukana means “are with me/on board.”
Why is the adverb aina placed after the verb tarkistan, and could the word order be changed?
Finnish typically places the finite verb in the second position. After the time phrase Ennen matkaa, the verb tarkistan comes next, and aina follows. You can move aina for different emphasis, for example:
- Aina tarkistan ennen matkaa, että…
- Tarkistan ennen matkaa aina, että…
All are grammatically correct, with only slight shifts in focus.
Could I use varmistan instead of tarkistan, and would the meaning change?
Yes. varmistan (“I ensure/make sure”) and tarkistan (“I check”) are often interchangeable here. varmistan sounds a bit more formal or stronger, but the core idea—making sure you have your passport and suitcase—is the same.