Learn Hardcore Finnish: Odotan, kunnes vuoronumeroni näkyy näytöllä. - I wait until my queue number appears on the screen.

Main clause: Odotan = I’m waiting / I wait
Subordinate clause: kunnes vuoronumeroni näkyy näytöllä = until my number appears on the screen

So the comma marks the boundary between those clauses.

What exactly does kunnes mean, and how is it different from kun?

Kunnes means until (an endpoint). It tells you waiting continues up to the moment something happens.

Kun most often means when (time reference) and doesn’t inherently mean “up to that point.”

Odotan, kunnes X tapahtuu. = I wait until X happens.
Odotan, kun X tapahtuu. would usually sound like “I wait when X happens,” which is not the intended meaning.

Why is odottaa used without an object here? I thought odottaa usually takes the partitive.

You’re right that odottaa commonly takes a partitive object:

In your sentence, the thing being waited for is expressed as an until-clause instead of a direct object:

Odotan, kunnes vuoronumeroni näkyy näytöllä. = I wait until my number shows.

So there’s no direct object to put in the partitive.

What does vuoronumeroni break down into?

vuoronumeroni = vuoronumero + ni

So vuoronumeroni means my queue/ticket number.

Why isn’t minun (my) used? Why not minun vuoronumero?

Finnish often marks possession with a possessive suffix instead of (or in addition to) a separate pronoun:

You can also say:

minun vuoronumeroni …but it’s more emphatic (like my number specifically, not someone else’s). In neutral context, vuoronumeroni is enough.

Why is näkyy in the present tense even though it may happen in the future?

Finnish frequently uses the present tense for events that are expected or upcoming, especially in time clauses like kunnes:

English often uses present tense in similar subordinate clauses too: “until it appears” (not “until it will appear”).

What does näkyy mean here—“appears” or “is visible”?

näkyä literally means to be visible / to show (be showing). In this context it naturally translates as appears or shows up:

vuoronumeroni näkyy näytöllä = my number is visible on the screen / my number appears on the screen

It’s describing the state of being visible, which functions like “appearing” in English.

Why is it näytöllä and not näytössä?

näytöllä is the adessive case (-llä/-llä) and often corresponds to on (a surface/display):

näytössä is the inessive case (-ssa/-ssä) meaning in something (inside it), and is less natural for a screen in this “displayed on it” sense:

Why does Finnish drop the subject minä (“I”)?

Finnish verb endings show the subject clearly. Odotan already contains I (1st person singular), so minä is optional:

You’d add minä mainly for emphasis or contrast.

Could the word order be different? For example, can I say Odotan, kunnes näkyy vuoronumeroni näytöllä?

Yes, Finnish word order is flexible, but it affects emphasis and naturalness. The given version is neutral:

You can start with the verb:

kunnes näkyy vuoronumeroni näytöllä This can sound a bit more “event-first” (focusing on the appearance), but the original is usually the most straightforward and natural in everyday use.