Learn Hardcore Finnish: Wifi katkeaa välillä, mutta kyllä se yleensä toimii. - The Wi‑Fi drops sometimes, but yes, it usually works.

Katkeaa is the 3rd person singular present of the intransitive verb katketa (verb type 4), meaning “to break/cut off/disconnect (by itself).” Paradigm highlights:

1sg: katkean
3sg: katkeaa
Past (imperfect): katkesi
Past participle: katkennut It describes the connection dropping on its own (no agent).

How is katketa different from katkaista?

Katketa = intransitive: something breaks/cuts off by itself. Example idea: Wifi katkeaa.
Katkaista = transitive: someone/something cuts/breaks something. Example idea: Hän katkaisi yhteyden. In your sentence, the Wi‑Fi drops out on its own, so katkeaa is correct.

Could I say Wifi katkaisee välillä?

No. Katkaisee is transitive (“cuts off something”), so it needs an object. Saying Wifi katkaisee would mean “Wi‑Fi disconnects [something],” which is not what you want. Use katkeaa (intransitive) or alternatives like pätkii or katkeilee.

What’s the nuance difference between katkeaa and pätkii?

Katkeaa suggests a full drop: the connection breaks/disconnects.
Pätkii (from pätkiä) suggests choppiness or intermittent hiccups: it keeps cutting in and out. Both are common; choose based on what you want to emphasize.

What does välillä mean here, and how is it different from joskus?

Here välillä means “sometimes/at times/occasionally.” It’s interchangeable with joskus or toisinaan in this sense. Note that välillä also means “between” as a postposition (e.g., A:n ja B:n välillä = between A and B), but not in this sentence.

What is kyllä doing? Isn’t it just “yes”?

Kyllä does mean “yes” when used alone, but here it’s a sentence adverb adding emphatic affirmation: “it does/indeed/actually.” So mutta kyllä se yleensä toimii ≈ “but it does usually work,” often used to counterbalance the first clause or to reassure.

Is the word order kyllä se yleensä toimii fixed?

Common options:

Kyllä se yleensä toimii. (very typical; emphasis on the truth of the claim)
Se kyllä yleensä toimii. (also natural; slightly more emphasis on the subject)
Kyllä se toimii yleensä. (possible; yleensä is freer, but this is less neutral) All mean roughly the same; subtle differences in focus only.

Could I drop se and just say … mutta kyllä yleensä toimii?

Normally no. Finnish isn’t strongly pro‑drop in the 3rd person; you usually keep se to mark the subject clearly. … mutta kyllä se yleensä toimii is the natural phrasing.

Why is there a comma before mutta?

Finnish typically uses a comma to separate independent clauses, and you put a comma before mutta (“but”) starting a new main clause. So the comma is required here.

What’s the difference between toimia and työskennellä?

Toimia = “to function, to work (operate).” Used for devices/systems/services: Wifi toimii = “The Wi‑Fi works.”
Työskennellä = “to work (as a person, have a job).” You wouldn’t say Wifi työskentelee.

How would I say this in the negative with emphasis?

Neutral negative: … mutta se ei yleensä toimi. (“… but it usually doesn’t work.”)
Emphatic negative: … mutta se ei kyllä toimi. or … mutta ei se kyllä toimi. (Kyllä strengthens the negation.)

Can I use vaan instead of mutta?

Use vaan (“but rather”) after a negative when you correct/replace something: Se ei katkea, vaan pätkii. In your sentence there’s no preceding negative, so mutta is correct.

Is there a verb that directly conveys “keeps disconnecting” repeatedly?

Yes: katkeilla (frequentative). Wifi katkeilee välillä ≈ “The Wi‑Fi keeps cutting out at times.” It emphasizes repeated/ongoing little disconnections.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Wifi is typically pronounced with a v sound: roughly “vifi.”
kyllä: front rounded vowel y (like French “u”), geminate ll, and ä (front “a”).
Stress is on the first syllable of each word: WI‑fi KAT‑ke‑aa VÄ‑lil‑lä, MUT‑ta KYL‑lä SE YLEEN‑sä TOI‑mii.

Is Wifi/Wi‑Fi capitalized or hyphenated in Finnish?

You’ll see Wi‑Fi, WiFi, and wifi in real use; wifi (lowercase) is increasingly common in informal writing. All are understood. The word is often treated like a regular noun and can be inflected if needed (e.g., wifissä “in the Wi‑Fi”), though many speakers avoid inflecting it.

Could I say Yhteys katkeaa välillä, mutta kyllä se yleensä toimii?

Yes. Yhteys = “the connection.” That’s a very natural alternative. You can also mix: Wifi‑yhteys pätkii välillä, mutta yleensä se toimii.

Why no articles like “the” before Wifi?

Finnish has no articles. Wifi here can mean “the Wi‑Fi” or just “Wi‑Fi” depending on context. The definiteness is inferred from the discourse, not marked by a word.