Learn Hardcore Finnish: Ota kirjastokortti mukaan, muuten et voi lainata. - Take the library card with you, otherwise you cannot borrow.

Ota is the 2nd-person singular imperative of ottaa (to take), i.e., a direct instruction: “Take.” For addressing several people or being formally polite, use the 2nd-person plural imperative: ottakaa — Ottakaa kirjastokortti mukaan (“Take the library card with you.”). A more gently polite version is Olkaa hyvä ja ottakaa… or Voisitko/Voisitteko ottaa…

Why is it kirjastokortti (base form) and not kirjastokortin after ota?

In affirmative 2nd-person imperatives, a “total object” is typically in the base (unmarked) form for nouns: Ota kirjastokortti mukaan. In the indicative, the same idea would take a genitive total object: Otan kirjastokortin mukaan. In the negative, you get partitive: Älä ota kirjastokorttia.

Could I say ota kirjastokortin mukaan?

No—that would mean “take according to the library card,” because jonkun mukaan means “according to someone/something” (genitive + mukaan). In the “take along” meaning, mukaan functions adverbially: Ota kirjastokortti mukaan.

What exactly does mukaan do here?

Mukaan signals taking/bringing something “along (with you)”—it’s directional. It’s common with verbs like ottaa (take), tuoda (bring), and tulla (come):

Ota kirja mukaan. Take the book along.
Tuon eväät mukaan. I’ll bring snacks along.

What’s the difference between mukaan and mukana?

mukaan = movement/direction (“along, with you” when taking/bringing): Ota kortti mukaan.
mukana = static state (“with one, on one’s person”): Minulla on kortti mukana (“I have the card with me”).
So: take it along (mukaan) vs. have it with you (mukana).

Why not use kanssa for “with,” e.g., ota kortti kanssasi?

Kanssa means “together with” (accompaniment), not “take along.” Natural Finnish is ottaa X mukaan for “take X with you.” Use kanssa for “be/go with someone”: Tulen ystävän kanssa (“I’m coming with a friend”), not for “take it with you.”

Do I need to mark possession, e.g., kirjastokorttisi or sinun kirjastokorttisi?

No. Finnish often omits possessive marking when context is clear. Ota kirjastokortti mukaan naturally means “your library card” here. You can add it for clarity/emphasis:

Ota kirjastokorttisi mukaasi. (your card, with explicit possessive)
Ota kirjastokortti mukaan. (perfectly natural, a bit more neutral/instructional)

Is Ota mukaan kirjastokortti also correct? Any difference from Ota kirjastokortti mukaan?

Both are correct. Word order in Finnish can shift focus: Ota kirjastokortti mukaan is the most neutral; Ota mukaan kirjastokortti can put slight end-focus on kirjastokortti, but in everyday speech they’re interchangeable.

What does muuten mean here? Does it ever mean something else?

Here muuten means “otherwise / if not.” It can also mean “by the way” or “in other respects,” depending on context:

Muuten, oletko valmis? (“By the way, are you ready?”)
In this sentence it clearly signals a consequence: “otherwise you can’t borrow.”

Why is there a comma before muuten?

Finnish typically uses a comma between two independent main clauses. Ota kirjastokortti mukaan and et voi lainata are both main clauses; muuten is a linking adverb, not a conjunction, so a comma is standard: …, muuten …

What is et voi exactly?

It’s the negative of voida (“can, be able to”) for 2nd-person singular: et (2SG negative verb) + voi (connegative stem of voida). So et voi = “you cannot.” Full present negative paradigm: en voi, et voi, ei voi, emme voi, ette voi, eivät voi.

Could I say et saa lainata instead of et voi lainata?

You can, but the nuance changes:

et voi lainata = you’re not able/it won’t be possible (e.g., the system won’t allow it).
et saa lainata = you’re not allowed (permission is denied).
Both make sense in a library context; the original stresses ability/possibility.

Does lainata mean “to borrow” or “to lend”?

Both; context disambiguates. You can make it explicit with cases/prepositions:

borrow from someone: lainata joltakulta (ablative, -lta/-ltä)
borrow from a place: lainata kirjastosta (elative, -sta/-stä)
lend to someone: lainata jollekulle (allative, -lle) or antaa lainaksi

Why is there no object after lainata? Borrow what?

Finnish often omits obvious objects. In a library context, lainata without an object naturally means “borrow (items/books).” You could add one for clarity: … et voi lainata kirjoja (“…you can’t borrow books”), but it’s not required.

Could I say Ota kirjastokortti mukaasi instead of … mukaan?

Yes. mukaasi is mukaan + the 2SG possessive suffix, explicitly “with you.” Both are idiomatic:

Ota kirjastokortti mukaan.
Ota kirjastokortti mukaasi.
The version with the suffix is a bit more explicit or formal-sounding.

How is kirjastokortti written and pronounced?

It’s one compound word (Finnish compounds are written together): kirjasto + kortti → kirjastokortti. Stress is on the first syllable: KIR-jasto-kort-ti. Note the long consonant tt in kortti (a clear double T). Also, muuten has a long uu.