Learn Hardcore Finnish: Minä hymyilen aamulla, kun juon kahvia. - I smile in the morning when I drink coffee.

In Finnish, the verb ending -n in hymyilen already implies “I,” so Minä is grammatically optional. It’s included here for emphasis or clarity, much like saying “I do smile in the morning…” in English to highlight the subject.

How does the verb hymyilen break down?

Hymyilen is the first-person singular present form of the verb hymyillä (“to smile”).
• Stem: hymyile-
• Ending: -n (I-form present)
So hymyilen literally means “I smile” or “I am smiling.”

Why is aamulla in the -lla form instead of just aamu?

The -lla ending marks the adessive case, which in time expressions means “at” or “during.”
• aamu = “morning”
• aamulla = “in the morning” / “at morning time”

What’s the role of kun in this sentence? Could I use koska instead?

Kun here means “when” in the sense of “whenever” or “as soon as.” It links two simultaneous actions: smiling and drinking coffee.
• kun = “when/as soon as” (temporal conjunction)
• koska = “because,” so it would change the meaning to “I smile in the morning because I drink coffee,” which is different.

Why is kahvia not kahvi?

Kahvia is the partitive form of kahvi (“coffee”). The partitive is used for uncountable substances or incomplete actions, so when you say “juon kahvia” you mean “I’m drinking some coffee” or “I drink coffee” in a general, non-limited sense.

Is the comma before kun necessary?

Yes. In Finnish, a comma is placed before a subordinate clause introduced by kun when it follows the main clause. So “Minä hymyilen aamulla, kun juon kahvia.” correctly separates the main action from the temporal clause.

Can I move aamulla or kun juon kahvia to different positions?

Yes, Finnish word order is relatively flexible for emphasis:
• Aamulla minä hymyilen, kun juon kahvia. (emphasizes morning)
• Kun juon kahvia, minä hymyilen aamulla. (emphasizes the coffee-drinking condition)
All variations are correct; you just shift what feels most important.