Learn Hardcore Finnish: Jopa pomo saapuu kokoukseen ajoissa. - Even the boss arrives at the meeting on time.

Jopa means “even,” highlighting something surprising or noteworthy. It suggests that the boss is an unlikely person to be on time, so their punctuality is emphasized as unexpected.

Can I use myös instead of jopa?

Not if you want the same nuance. Myös = “also/too,” which just adds another item without surprise. Jopa = “even,” which signals surprise. So:

Jopa pomo saapuu… = “Even the boss arrives…”
Myös pomo saapuu… = “The boss also arrives…” (no implication of surprise)

What about using the enclitic -kin, as in Pomokin saapuu…?

-kin means “also/too,” but in many contexts it can carry the “even” meaning, especially when the item is unexpected. So:

Pomokin saapuu… ≈ “Even the boss arrives…” (or “The boss too arrives…” depending on context)
Jopa pomo… is a clearer, stronger “even.” You can combine them for extra emphasis: Jopa pomokin saapuu… (very emphatic), though that can feel a bit heavy in neutral writing.

Where does jopa go in the sentence?

Place jopa immediately before the element you want to emphasize.

Jopa pomo saapuu… = It’s surprising that the boss arrives.
Pomo saapuu jopa ajoissa. = It’s surprising that it’s on time (the timing is what’s surprising).
Pomo saapuu jopa kokoukseen. = It’s surprising that they arrive to the meeting (odd here, because arriving inherently implies a destination; this version is usually not what you want).

Why is it kokoukseen and not kokouksessa or kokoukselle?

Because saapua (“to arrive”) takes the illative case (direction “into/to” a place). Cases:

kokoukseen (illative, “into/to the meeting”) — used with arrival: saapua kokoukseen
kokouksessa (inessive, “in the meeting”) — being at/in the meeting: olla kokouksessa
kokoukselle (allative, “onto/to the surface/recipient”) — used with verbs like “to give to,” “to go to” a person or an event in a beneficiary sense; not used with saapua.

How is kokoukseen formed from kokous?

Base noun: kokous (“meeting”).
Oblique stem: kokoukse- (many -us words take a -kse- stem).
Illative ending for e-stems: -en, which yields spelling -seen after e.
Result: kokoukse
- en → kokoukseen.

What exactly does ajoissa mean?

Ajoissa means “in time/on time,” i.e., not late. It implies you arrived early enough for what was required, possibly a bit before the exact start.

Difference between ajoissa, ajallaan, and aikaisin?

ajoissa = on time, not late (practical, everyday).
ajallaan = at the proper/scheduled time (a bit more formal or bookish).
aikaisin = early (earlier than expected or than the scheduled time).

Could I leave out ajoissa?

Yes, but then you lose the timing idea. Pomo saapuu kokoukseen just says “The boss arrives at the meeting,” with no mention of punctuality.

Why use saapuu instead of tulee?

Both mean “arrives/comes,” but:

saapua is more formal or precise (used for arrivals of people, flights, trains, official contexts).
tulla is more general/colloquial. In a sentence about a meeting, saapuu sounds appropriately formal or neutral-formal.

Is saapuu present or future? How do I say “will arrive”?

Finnish has no separate future tense. Saapuu can mean present or future depending on context:

Pomo saapuu huomenna. = “The boss arrives/will arrive tomorrow.”

How do you conjugate saapua (present tense)?

Present indicative:

minä saavun
sinä saavut
hän saapuu
me saavumme
te saavutte
he saapuvat

Why do some forms have v (e.g., saavun) while others have p (saapuu)?

The verb saapua alternates between stems saavu- and saapu-. Before certain endings (like -n, -t, -mme, -tte), the stem appears as saavu- (hence saavun, saavut, saavumme, saavutte). With 3rd person singular -u(u) and plural -vat, you see saapu-: saapuu, saapuvat. This is a regular stem alternation for this verb.

How do I say “Not even the boss arrives on time”?

Use edes for “even” in negative sentences:

Ei edes pomo saavu kokoukseen ajoissa. Don’t use jopa in the negative; edes is the natural choice.

Is pomo formal, and are there alternatives?

Pomo is neutral-informal for “boss.” Alternatives:

esimies = “supervisor/manager” (traditional; gendered).
esihenkilö = “supervisor/manager” (gender-neutral, now widely used in official contexts). Pick based on formality and context.

Does the word order here sound natural, and can I move parts around?

The given order is natural and puts focus on jopa pomo. Other natural variants:

Pomo saapuu kokoukseen ajoissa. (neutral statement)
Pomokin saapuu kokoukseen ajoissa. (also/even the boss)
Jopa pomokin saapuu kokoukseen ajoissa. (very emphatic) Shifting ajoissa earlier (e.g., Pomo saapuu ajoissa kokoukseen) is possible but less typical; most speakers prefer it after the destination phrase here.