Putkimies sanoi, että putki on vanha ja se täytyy vaihtaa.

The plumber said that the pipe is old and it has to be replaced.

Breakdown of Putkimies sanoi, että putki on vanha ja se täytyy vaihtaa.

• olla: to be
• vanha: old
• ja: and
• se: it
• täytyä: to have to
• että: that
• vaihtaa: to replace
• sanoa: to say
• putkimies: plumber
• putki: pipe

Questions & Answers about Putkimies sanoi, että putki on vanha ja se täytyy vaihtaa.

Why is there a comma before että?

In Finnish, a subordinate clause introduced by että (a that-clause) is normally separated from the main clause with a comma:

• Putkimies sanoi, että ... = The plumber said that ...
  So the comma marks where the reported content begins.

What exactly does että do here?

Että introduces reported speech/thought/content. It’s the most common way to attach what someone said:

• sanoa, että X = to say that X It doesn’t change for person/number; it’s always että.

Why is it putki on vanha (present tense) and not putki oli vanha (past tense)?

Finnish often keeps the tense that matches the statement as a fact at that time, especially when the fact is still true:

• sanoi, että putki on vanha = he said the pipe is old (still true now) If you want to anchor it more firmly in the past (or imply it may no longer be true), you can use past:
• sanoi, että putki oli vanha = said the pipe was old

Why does vanha look like that—why not some other case like vanhaa?

Here vanha is a predicate adjective after olla (on), so it usually agrees with the subject in the nominative:

• putki on vanha (pipe = nominative, vanha = nominative)

vanhaa would typically mean something different, e.g. “old stuff/old (as a substance/material)” in some contexts:

• Tämä on vanhaa. = This is (something) old / old stuff (context-dependent)

What does se refer to?

Se = it and refers back to putki (the pipe). Finnish uses se very commonly for “it/that one” in everyday language:

• putki ... ja se täytyy vaihtaa = the pipe ... and it must be replaced

Why repeat putki first and then use se—could it just be se from the start?

The first mention is usually the full noun (putki) to introduce the topic clearly. After that, a pronoun (se) is natural. You wouldn’t normally start with se unless the pipe is already known in context.

What is täytyy and why is there no clear subject like “someone must”?

Täytyy expresses necessity and is very often used impersonally (without naming the doer):

• se täytyy vaihtaa = it has to be replaced / it must be replaced

The focus is on the necessity, not on who will do it.

Why is vaihtaa in that form?

After täytyy, Finnish uses the basic infinitive (dictionary form):

• täytyy vaihtaa = must replace / has to be replaced

So vaihtaa is the infinitive “to change/replace.”

Is se täytyy vaihtaa passive?

It’s passive-like in meaning (“must be replaced”), but grammatically it’s the necessity verb täytyä + infinitive, which often avoids naming an agent.

You can also express a more clearly passive structure with Finnish passive verb forms, but this täytyy + infinitive pattern is extremely common for “needs to be done.”

Could you also say putki täytyy vaihtaa instead of se täytyy vaihtaa?

Yes. Both are natural:

• putki täytyy vaihtaa = the pipe must be replaced
• se täytyy vaihtaa = it must be replaced

Using se avoids repeating putki.

Could you use pitää instead of täytyy?

Often yes:

• se pitää vaihtaa also means it must be replaced / it needs replacing.

A rough feel:

• täytyy can feel a bit more “no choice / necessary”
• pitää is very common and can feel slightly more neutral in everyday speech
  But in many situations they’re interchangeable.

Why is there no comma before ja?

In Finnish, you usually don’t put a comma before ja when it connects two parts of the same clause level in a simple way:

• putki on vanha ja se täytyy vaihtaa
  Two coordinated clauses joined by ja → no comma needed.

Is there an alternative, more “compact” way to say the same thing?

Yes—Finnish can use a structure similar to “said the pipe to be old,” though it can sound more formal:

• Putkimies sanoi putken olevan vanha ja että se täytyy vaihtaa. But the original sanoi, että ... version is the most straightforward and common.