Learn Hardcore Finnish: Varoituskyltti on kadun kulmassa, joten ole varovainen. - The warning sign is at the street corner, so be careful.

When you say “in the corner of the street,” Finnish uses the genitive to show possession or “of-ness.” So katu (street) becomes kadun (of the street) to pair with kulmassa (“in/at the corner”).

What case is kulmassa, and what does it express?

Kulmassa is the inessive case (base kulma + -ssa). It literally means “in the corner” or “at the corner,” indicating location.

What does joten mean, and why is it used here?

Joten is a coordinating conjunction meaning “so” or “therefore.” It connects the fact that there’s a warning sign with the advice to be careful.

Why is there a comma before joten?

In Finnish, a comma often separates two independent clauses even when they’re joined by joten. It’s similar to English: “X, so Y.”

What form is ole, and why is there no subject pronoun?

Ole is the 2nd person singular imperative of olla (“to be”). The subject sinä (“you”) is dropped because imperatives in Finnish typically omit the pronoun.

Why is varovainen in its basic (nominative) form after ole?

As an imperative complement, varovainen remains in the nominative to function as a predicative adjective: “be careful.”

How would you pronounce varoituskyltti and where is the stress?

It’s pronounced roughly VA-roitus-KYLT-ti, with the main stress on the first syllable VA. Each “t” is clearly articulated, and vowels are short unless doubled.

Could you reverse the order of the clauses or use a different conjunction?

Yes. You might say “Ole varovainen, sillä varoituskyltti on kadun kulmassa.” Here sillä means “because,” so it shifts the nuance to “Be careful because there’s a warning sign.”