Älä myöhästy bussista.

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Breakdown of Älä myöhästy bussista.

• bussi: the bus
• älä: don't
• myöhästyä: to miss

Questions & Answers about Älä myöhästy bussista.

What does Älä mean, and when do I use it instead of ei?

Älä is the negative imperative (a prohibition) for the 2nd person singular: it means don’t. You use it when telling one person not to do something.

• Example: Älä juokse. = Don’t run. By contrast, ei is the normal negative auxiliary used in statements:
• En myöhästy. = I’m not late. (statement, not a command)

Why is the verb form myöhästy, not myöhästyä or myöhästyt?

In a negative command, you use Älä + the verb’s connegative form (the bare stem). For this verb, that’s myöhästy.

• myöhästyä = the infinitive (to be late)
• myöhästyt = present tense 2nd-person singular (you are late)
• Älä myöhästy = Don’t be late / Don’t miss

What does myöhästyä mean exactly?

myöhästyä means “to be late (for something)” and, with vehicles like buses, trains, flights, it means “to miss” them. It’s intransitive (there’s no direct object), and the thing you’re late for is expressed in a specific case (see the next answer).

Why is it bussista? What case is that, and why is it used here?