Lupaan korjata virheen heti, jos sellainen löytyy.

I promise to fix the mistake immediately if such is found.

Breakdown of Lupaan korjata virheen heti, jos sellainen löytyy.

• minä: I
• jos: if
• heti: immediately
• korjata: to fix
• löytyä: to be found
• sellainen: such
• luvata: to promise
• virhe: the mistake

Questions & Answers about Lupaan korjata virheen heti, jos sellainen löytyy.

Why is there no pronoun like minä in Lupaan? How do we know it means I promise?

In Finnish the personal pronoun is usually dropped, because the verb ending already shows the person:

• lupaan = I promise (1st person singular, ending -n)
• lupaat = you (sg) promise (2nd person singular)
• lupaa = he/she promises (3rd person singular)

So minä lupaan is possible, but normally shortened to just Lupaan, unless you want to emphasize I (for example, I promise, not someone else).

Why is korjata in the infinitive form instead of korjaan?

Finnish uses the basic infinitive (dictionary form) after many verbs that express wanting, intending, promising, being able to, etc. For example:

• Haluan korjata virheen. – I want to correct the error.
• Aion korjata virheen. – I’m going to correct the error.
• Lupaan korjata virheen. – I promise to correct the error.

If you said Lupaan korjaan virheen, it would be ungrammatical. After lupaan (I promise), the “second verb” must be in the infinitive: korjata.

Why is virheen in this form? What’s the difference between virhe, virheen, and virhettä as objects?

These are different object cases:

• virhe (nominative) – can be a total object in some structures, or a subject:
  
  • Virhe on pieni. – The error is small.
• virheen (genitive) – total object, meaning the action affects/completes the whole thing:
  
  • Korjaan virheen. – I will fix the (whole) error.
  • Lupaan korjata virheen. – I promise to fix the error (completely).
• virhettä (partitive) – partial or ongoing action, or an indefinite amount:
  
  • Korjaan virhettä. – I am correcting the error / working on the error (action in progress, not presented as completed).

In Lupaan korjata virheen, the idea is that the error will be corrected as a complete task, so the total object virheen is used.

Is the word order korjata virheen heti fixed? Could I say heti korjata virheen or korjata heti virheen?

The word order is fairly flexible, but the most neutral options are:

• Lupaan korjata virheen heti. (very natural)
• Lupaan korjata heti virheen. (also fine; slight shift in emphasis)

Putting heti first:

• Lupaan heti korjata virheen. – emphasizes immediately: I immediately promise to correct the error / Right away I promise…

This is also grammatical, but now heti modifies lupaan a bit more (how soon you promise), not just korjata.

Heti korjata virheen in isolation is not something you’d normally use; it needs a finite verb before it (like lupaan, yritän, aion, etc.). So:

• Good: Lupaan korjata virheen heti.
• Good: Lupaan korjata heti virheen.
• Good but slightly different nuance: Lupaan heti korjata virheen.
• Not used as-is: Heti korjata virheen.

Why is jos used here and not kun? What’s the difference between them?

• jos = if (conditional; it might or might not happen)
• kun = when / whenever / since (something expected or real)

In this sentence:

• … jos sellainen löytyy. – … if such (an error) is found.

We’re talking about a possible error, not a certain one, so jos is correct. If you said:

• … kun sellainen löytyy.

it would sound like you’re sure the error will be found; more like when it is found (and we know it will be).

What exactly does sellainen mean here, and why not just repeat virhe?

Sellainen literally means such a (one) or such a thing. In this sentence it refers back to virhe:

• Lupaan korjata virheen heti, jos sellainen löytyy.
  → … if such (an error) is found.

Instead of repeating virhe:

• … jos virhe löytyy. – … if the error is found.

Using sellainen:

1. Avoids repetition of virhe.
2. Keeps the error somewhat indefinite / hypothetical: if such an error exists/is found.

Both jos virhe löytyy and jos sellainen löytyy are grammatically correct. Sellainen just sounds a bit more vague or general: if any such error is found.

Why do we use löytyy instead of on in jos sellainen löytyy?

• olla (on) = to be / to exist / to have
• löytyä (löytyy) = to be found / to turn up / to be discovered

So:

• … jos sellainen on. – … if such a thing exists / if there is such a thing.
• … jos sellainen löytyy. – … if such a thing is found.

In this context you’re talking about finding an error during checking, so löytyy is more natural. It implies:

• if, in the process, some error turns up / is discovered, not just if such an error exists in some abstract sense.

Grammatically, what is the subject of löytyy in jos sellainen löytyy? Why is the verb singular?

In jos sellainen löytyy:

• sellainen is the subject (in nominative case).
• löytyy is the 3rd person singular form of löytyä.

So the structure is like:

• (Jokin) sellainen löytyy. – (Some) such (thing) is found.

The verb is singular because sellainen is singular. If it were plural, both would change:

• jos sellaisia löytyy – if such (things/errors) are found

Can I omit sellainen and just say … jos löytyy? Would that still be correct?

Yes, especially in spoken Finnish, it’s common to omit the subject when it is very clear from context:

• Lupaan korjata virheen heti, jos löytyy.

This is understood as:

• … if one is found / if an error is found.

Differences:

• jos sellainen löytyy – a bit more explicit and neutral.
• jos löytyy – more informal, compact, relies on context (we assume we’re talking about errors).

Why is there a comma before jos in Finnish, even though in English we don’t always put a comma before if?

Finnish punctuation rules are different from English. In Finnish, a comma normally separates a main clause and a subordinate clause, regardless of order. Jos introduces a subordinate clause, so you get:

• Lupaan korjata virheen heti, jos sellainen löytyy.
• Jos sellainen löytyy, lupaan korjata virheen heti.

Both versions require a comma between the clauses. In English, the comma before if is often optional or omitted, but in Finnish it’s generally mandatory in this kind of sentence.

Does heti always mean exactly immediately, or can it also mean soon?

Heti most directly means immediately / right away, but in everyday speech it can be slightly flexible:

• Tulen heti. – literally I’ll come immediately, but often used like I’ll be there very soon / in a moment.

In Lupaan korjata virheen heti, the intended meaning is without unnecessary delay. Depending on context, that could be truly immediate or just as soon as practically possible, but it is stronger than a vague soon.