Log inSign up

Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.

Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
The workshop continues next week.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Finnish grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Finnish now

Questions & Answers about Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.

What does each word in Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla mean, and what is the basic structure of the sentence?

The sentence breaks down like this:

  • työ = work
  • paja = workshop (literally a forge / workshop)
  • työpaja = workshop (as one compound word)
  • jatkuu = continues / will continue (3rd person singular of jatkua)
  • ensi = next (as in next week, next year, etc.)
  • viikko = week
  • viikolla = on the week / during the week (adessive case of viikko)

So the literal structure is:

  • Työpaja – workshop (subject)
  • jatkuu – continues
  • ensi viikolla – next week (time expression)

Natural English: The workshop continues / will continue next week.

Why is there no word for the or a before työpaja?

Finnish does not use articles (no the, a, or an at all).

Definiteness is understood from context:

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
    → Depending on the situation, this can mean:
    • The workshop continues next week.
    • A workshop continues next week.

Finnish normally just uses the bare noun (työpaja) and lets the surrounding context tell you whether it is something specific (the workshop we both know about) or something more general.

Why is jatkuu in the present tense if the sentence refers to the future?

In Finnish, the present tense is regularly used for future events, especially when there is a time expression in the sentence.

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
    Literally: The workshop continues next week.
    Functionally: The workshop will continue next week.

The time expression ensi viikolla (next week) already shows that this is about the future, so there is no separate future tense needed. This is very common and normal Finnish:

  • Lähden huomenna. – I leave / I’m leaving / I will leave tomorrow.
  • Kurssi alkaa ensi kuussa. – The course starts / will start next month.
What is the difference between jatkuu and jatkaa?

They come from two related but different verbs:

  • jatkua = to continue (intransitive: nothing directly receives the action)
    • Työpaja jatkuu. – The workshop continues.
  • jatkaa = to continue (something) (transitive: has a direct object)
    • Jatkamme työpajaa ensi viikolla. – We continue the workshop next week.

So:

  • Use jatkuu when something just goes on by itself (no object):
    • Elokuva jatkuu. – The movie continues.
  • Use jatkaa when someone continues something:
    • Opettaja jatkaa luentoa. – The teacher continues the lecture.

In your sentence, Työpaja is the thing that is continuing, so jatkuu (the intransitive form) is correct.

How do you conjugate jatkua with different subjects?

Here is jatkua (to continue) in the present tense:

  • minä jatkun – I continue (rare in practice, but grammatically possible)
  • sinä jatkut – you continue
  • hän / se jatkuu – he / she / it continues
  • me jatkumme – we continue
  • te jatkutta – you (pl.) continue
  • he / ne jatkuvat – they continue

So if the sentence had a plural subject:

  • Työpajat jatkuvat ensi viikolla.
    → The workshops continue / will continue next week.

Compare with the original:

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
    → Työpaja is singular, so jatkuu is singular.
Why is it ensi viikolla and not just ensi viikko?

Ensi viikolla uses the adessive case (the -lla / -llä ending) on viikko:

  • viikko = week (basic form)
  • viikolla = on (the) week / during (the) week

Finnish often uses the adessive with time expressions to mean during that period:

  • maanantaina – on Monday
  • kesällä – in (the) summer
  • viikolla – during the week

So:

  • ensi viikko on its own is more like a bare label: next week (as a concept)
  • ensi viikolla fits grammatically into the sentence as an adverbial: next week / during next week

In practice, for this meaning, you need ensi viikolla with the -lla ending.

Can ensi viikolla come at the beginning, like Ensi viikolla työpaja jatkuu? Does that change the meaning?

Yes, that word order is perfectly correct:

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
  • Ensi viikolla työpaja jatkuu.

Both mean The workshop continues next week.

The difference is mainly emphasis:

  • Starting with Työpaja slightly emphasizes the workshop.
  • Starting with Ensi viikolla slightly emphasizes the time (next week).

But there is no change in basic meaning; both are normal Finnish.

How would the sentence change if we are talking about more than one workshop?

You then need the plural of both the noun and the verb:

  • Työpajat jatkuvat ensi viikolla.
    • työpajat = workshops (plural)
    • jatkuvat = they continue (3rd person plural of jatkua)

English: The workshops continue / will continue next week.

Compare:

  • Singular: Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
  • Plural: Työpajat jatkuvat ensi viikolla.
How do you say The workshop will not continue next week in Finnish?

Negation uses a special verb ei plus the verb in its connegative form:

  • Työpaja ei jatku ensi viikolla.
    • ei = not
    • jatku = negative form of jatkuu

So:

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla. – The workshop (will) continue next week.
  • Työpaja ei jatku ensi viikolla. – The workshop will not continue next week.
Can I also say Työpaja on ensi viikolla? What would be the difference in meaning?

Yes, Työpaja on ensi viikolla is a correct sentence, but the nuance changes:

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla.
    → The workshop is already ongoing and will continue next week.
  • Työpaja on ensi viikolla.
    → The workshop takes place next week (as an event scheduled then).

Use:

  • jatkuu when you want to stress continuation of something already started.
  • on when you simply want to say when the workshop is held, with no special idea of it continuing from earlier sessions.
How would you say The workshop continued last week?

You need the past tense of jatkua:

  • Työpaja jatkui viime viikolla.
    • jatkui = continued (past, 3rd person singular of jatkua)
    • viime viikolla = last week

So:

  • Työpaja jatkuu ensi viikolla. – The workshop continues / will continue next week.
  • Työpaja jatkui viime viikolla. – The workshop continued last week.
Is työpaja always written as one word, and what does it literally come from?

Yes, työpaja is written as one compound word in standard Finnish.

It comes from:

  • työ = work
  • paja = workshop / forge

Literally something like work-shop, which matches English workshop quite closely. In Finnish, compounds like this are normally merged into a single written word:

  • työhuone – work room → office / study
  • työpaikka – work place → workplace
  • työpaja – work + workshop → workshop (often a course or practical session)