Learn Hardcore Finnish: Sarjan uusi jakso tulee joka perjantai, ja katson sen suomeksi. - A new episode of the series comes every Friday, and I watch it in Finnish.

Sarjan is the genitive form of sarja (series, show). Finnish uses the genitive to show possession or a close relationship, similar to English “the show’s” or “of the show”.

sarja = a series / show
sarjan = of the series / the show’s

So sarjan uusi jakso literally means “the series’s new episode” or “the new episode of the series.” Using the base form sarja uusi jakso would be ungrammatical here; you need the genitive to link the two nouns.

Why is it sarjan uusi jakso, not uusi sarjan jakso?

The normal word order is [possessor in genitive] + [adjective] + [noun]:

sarjan uusi jakso = the show’s new episode

Putting the adjective before the genitive, like uusi sarjan jakso, sounds awkward and unidiomatic in standard Finnish. In practice:

sarjan uusi jakso is what you should use.
If you really wanted to move things around, you’d more naturally say uusi jakso sarjasta, which means “a new episode from/of the series” – slightly different nuance and less tightly bound than sarjan uusi jakso.

What exactly does tulee mean in tulee joka perjantai?

The verb tulla literally means “to come”, but in this context it’s used in a more idiomatic way: “to be released / to air / to come out.”

So:

Sarjan uusi jakso tulee joka perjantai ≈ “A new episode of the series comes out every Friday” or “airs every Friday.”

Finnish often uses tulla for scheduled things that appear or start:

Uutiset tulevat kello kuudelta. = The news comes on at six.
Juna tulee kello seitsemältä. = The train arrives at seven.

Why does joka perjantai mean “every Friday”? Isn’t joka “which / who”?

Joka has two main uses:

Relative pronoun:
- Kirja, joka on pöydällä… = The book that/which is on the table…
Quantifier meaning “every / each”:
- joka päivä = every day
- joka viikko = every week
- joka perjantai = every Friday

In joka perjantai, joka means “every”, and the following noun (perjantai) stays in its basic form.

You’ll also see alternatives like:

joka perjantai-ilta = every Friday evening
perjantaisin = on Fridays (habitually)

Could I say joka perjantaina instead of joka perjantai?

Normally, with joka in the meaning “every”, the noun stays in its basic form:

joka päivä (not joka päivänä)
joka viikko (not joka viikkona)
joka perjantai (not joka perjantaina)

So joka perjantaina is not standard for “every Friday.”

If you want an alternative that uses a different form, use:

perjantaisin = on Fridays (regularly)
- Sarjan uusi jakso tulee perjantaisin.

Why is there a comma before ja in ..., ja katson sen suomeksi?

Finnish comma rules differ from English. Between two main clauses (each with its own subject and verb), you normally put a comma, even if they are joined by ja.

Here we have:

Sarjan uusi jakso tulee joka perjantai
- Subject: sarjan uusi jakso
- Verb: tulee
(Minä) katson sen suomeksi
- Subject: minä (implied)
- Verb: katson

Because there are two separate main clauses with different subjects, standard Finnish punctuation puts a comma:

Sarjan uusi jakso tulee joka perjantai, ja katson sen suomeksi.

If the subject were the same and not repeated, the comma might be omitted, but here the subjects differ (episode vs. I).

What does sen refer to, and why that form of the pronoun?

Se is the basic 3rd-person singular pronoun meaning “it / that.” In this sentence:

sen refers back to sarjan uusi jakso (the new episode).

The form sen is the genitive/accusative form of se, used here as the total object of katsoa (to watch):

(Minä) katson sen. = I watch it / I will watch it (the whole thing).

So:

se = it (subject or basic form)
sen = it (as a complete object; “that one / the whole thing”)

Why is it katson sen, not katson sitä?

The choice between sen and sitä relates to object case and aspect:

katson sen (total object, sen)
- Implies you watch the whole episode, a complete event.
- Fits well with the idea that each episode comes out, and you watch it from start to finish.
katson sitä (partitive object, sitä)
- Often suggests an ongoing process, an incomplete amount, or something you’re watching “some of.”
- Could sound more like “I watch it (in general / for a while)” rather than “I (always) watch the whole new episode.”

In this context, katson sen matches the idea: the episode is released, and you (habitually) watch that whole episode.

Could I leave out sen and just say ..., ja katson suomeksi?

No, not in this meaning. Katsoa normally needs an object when you mean “watch something.”

ja katson suomeksi by itself sounds incomplete: “and I watch in Finnish” – but watch what?

You have a few natural options:

..., ja katson sen suomeksi. = and I watch it in Finnish.
..., ja katson jakson suomeksi. = and I watch the episode in Finnish.
..., ja katson ne suomeksi. (if talking about episodes in plural: “I watch them in Finnish.”)

So you need some object: a pronoun (sen) or a noun (jakson, jaksot etc.).

What does suomeksi literally mean, and what is the -ksi ending?

Suomeksi comes from:

suomi = the Finnish language
suome- = stem form
-ksi = translative case ending

The translative case often means “into / in the form of / as”. With languages, X + ksi usually means “in X (language)”:

suomeksi = in Finnish
englanniksi = in English
ruotsiksi = in Swedish

So katson sen suomeksi literally is “I watch it in Finnish (language form).”

Could I say suomea or suomella instead of suomeksi?

Not with this meaning.

suomea (partitive) – used with some verbs like puhua suomea = to speak Finnish. It doesn’t work after katsoa to mean “in Finnish.”
suomella (adessive) – would be understood as “with Finnish” and is not used for language of audio/subtitles.

The natural ways to say “in Finnish” as a language are:

suomeksi – most common:
- Katson sen suomeksi. = I watch it in Finnish.
suomen kielellä – more explicit/literary:
- Katson sen suomen kielellä. (underlines “in the Finnish language”)

In everyday speech, suomeksi is what you want here.

Does tulee / katson here mean present or future? How do I say “will come” / “will watch”?

Finnish uses the same present tense form for:

current actions
general habits
and future events

So:

Sarjan uusi jakso tulee joka perjantai
= The new episode comes every Friday / comes out every Friday (including future Fridays).
(Minä) katson sen suomeksi
= I watch it in Finnish / I will watch it in Finnish (as a habit whenever it comes).

There is no separate future tense like English “will come” or “will watch.” Context (like joka perjantai) tells you it’s about a repeated or future event.