Learn Hardcore Finnish: Lähden sedän luota, koska taksi saapuu kohta. - I am leaving from my uncle’s place because the taxi arrives soon.

Because sedän is the genitive singular of setä (uncle). The postposition luota requires its complement (the person) in the genitive. Also, Finnish consonant gradation changes t → d in the weak grade, so setä → sedän in the genitive.

What exactly does luota mean, and how is it different from luona and luokse?

They form a trio used mostly with people (and their “place/presence”):

luona = at someone’s place/presence: Olen sedän luona. “I’m at (my) uncle’s.”
luokse = to someone’s place: Menen sedän luokse. “I’m going to (my) uncle’s.”
luota = from someone’s place: Lähden sedän luota. “I’m leaving (my) uncle’s.”

Why not sedältä instead of sedän luota?

-lta/-ltä (ablative) can mean “from” in many contexts, but with people and the idea “from someone’s place/presence,” Finnish prefers X + luota. Use sedältä for “from the uncle (as a source/agent),” e.g., Sain rahaa sedältä “I got money from my uncle,” not for physically leaving his place.

How do I say “from my uncle’s place” explicitly?

Use a possessive:

Most natural: Lähden setäni luota. (“I’m leaving my uncle’s place.”)
Also possible (more explicit/emphatic): Lähden minun setäni luota.
Do not say: ✗ minun sedän luota (mixes pronoun with the genitive without the possessive suffix).
With pronouns alone: Lähden hänen luotaan “I’m leaving his/her place.”

Why is there no “I” pronoun? Should it be Minä lähden?

Finnish drops subject pronouns when the verb ending shows the person. Lähden already means “I leave.” You can add Minä lähden for emphasis or contrast.

Is the comma before koska required?

Yes. In Finnish, a main clause and a subordinate clause are separated by a comma. So Lähden …, koska … is correct. If you start with the reason, you write: Koska taksi saapuu kohta, lähden sedän luota.

Why present tense for future events?

Finnish has no separate future tense. The present covers near-future when context or adverbs (like kohta “soon”) make the time clear: Lähden “I’m leaving,” taksi saapuu “the taxi is arriving.”

Could I use tulee instead of saapuu?

Yes. Tulee is everyday “comes,” while saapuu is “arrives,” a bit more formal or “scheduled/official.” Both work:

Taksi tulee kohta. (very common)
Taksi saapuu kohta. (a little more formal/neutral)

What’s the nuance of kohta? How is it different from pian or heti?

kohta = soon, in a moment (often quite soon; colloquial and very common)
pian = soon (a bit more neutral/formal)
heti = immediately You can intensify: ihan kohta = any moment now.

Can I move kohta or change word order?

Yes. Word order affects emphasis, not basic meaning:

Neutral: Taksi saapuu kohta.
Emphasize “soon”: Kohta taksi saapuu. / Kohta saapuu taksi.
With the reason first: Koska taksi saapuu kohta, lähden sedän luota.

Is it okay to add pois after lähden?

Yes. Lähden pois sedän luota adds an “away/out” nuance. It’s not required, because luota already implies “away from,” but it’s idiomatic for extra emphasis.

Can I use mennä or poistua instead of lähteä?

lähteä focuses on the act of leaving (good with just a source): Lähden sedän luota.
mennä needs a destination if you specify motion: Menen sedän luota kotiin. (from uncle’s to home)
poistua = to exit/leave (more formal): Poistun sedän luota.

Does setä mean any uncle?

No. Traditionally:

setä = father’s brother (paternal uncle)
eno = mother’s brother (maternal uncle) So you could also say Lähden enon luota if it’s your mother’s brother.

Are there articles like “the” taxi?

Finnish has no articles. Taksi saapuu can mean “the taxi is arriving” or “a taxi is arriving,” depending on context. If you must be specific, you can use se taksi (“that/the taxi”) or name/describe it.

Why is the verb form saapuu and not saapuvat?

Because taksi is singular. The 3rd person singular present of saapua is saapuu. Plural would be taksit saapuvat (“the taxis arrive/are arriving”).

Any colloquial variants I should expect to hear?

Yes, in speech you’ll hear:

Mä lähen sedän luota, ku taksi tulee kohta. (mä = minä; lähen = lähden; ku = koska; tulee = comes) This is informal but very common in everyday conversation.