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Varmistan, että lukko on kunnossa ennen kuin lähden.

Varmistan, että lukko on kunnossa ennen kuin lähden.
I make sure that the lock is in order before I leave.
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Questions & Answers about Varmistan, että lukko on kunnossa ennen kuin lähden.

Why is there a comma after Varmistan?

Finnish normally puts a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by että (that) and also before clauses with ennen kuin (before).
So Varmistan, että ... is standard punctuation.

What exactly does että do in this sentence?

että introduces a content clause: it tells what you are making sure of.
Structure: Varmistan, että + clause = I make sure that + clause.

Why is it lukko on kunnossa and not something like lukko on hyvä?

olla kunnossa is a very common idiom meaning to be in order / OK / in working condition. It’s especially natural for things like locks, doors, machines, plans, paperwork, etc.
lukko on hyvä would sound more like the lock is good (as a product/quality), not specifically working / properly set.

Is kunnossa a case form? What case is it?

Yes. kunnossa is the inessive case of kunto (condition):

  • kunto = condition
  • kunnossa = in (a) condition → idiomatically OK / in order
    It’s an example of how Finnish uses location-type cases for states.
Why is lukko in the nominative (not partitive or genitive)?

Because it’s the subject of the clause lukko on kunnossa. With olla (to be), the subject is typically nominative:

  • lukko (subject) + on (is) + kunnossa (predicate/state)

Partitive subjects happen in special meanings (e.g., quantities, incomplete existence), which isn’t the case here.

How does ennen kuin work grammatically?

ennen kuin is a fixed conjunction meaning before (that) and it introduces a subordinate clause.
Pattern: [main clause] ennen kuin [clause]
Here: ... ennen kuin lähden = ... before I leave.

Why is it ennen kuin lähden and not ennen kuin lähteä?

After ennen kuin, Finnish uses a finite verb (a normal conjugated verb) in the subordinate clause, not an infinitive.
So you say ennen kuin lähden (before I leave) rather than using the infinitive lähteä.

What form is lähden, and what does it imply?

lähden is the 1st person singular present tense of lähteä (to leave / depart).
It refers to a near-future action in context, similar to English present tense in before I leave.

Could the sentence start with the time clause: Ennen kuin lähden, varmistan...?

Yes, that’s also very natural. If the ennen kuin clause comes first, Finnish still uses a comma:

  • Ennen kuin lähden, varmistan, että lukko on kunnossa.

This can sound slightly more “scene-setting” because it starts with the timing.

Could I drop että?

Usually no in standard Finnish. With verbs like varmistaa, että is the normal way to attach the content clause.
In some informal contexts you may hear omission, but it’s not the safe learner choice.

Is there a difference between Varmistan and Tarkistan here?

Often yes:

  • tarkistan = I check (I look/verify by checking)
  • varmistan = I make sure / I ensure (focus on guaranteeing the result)

Both can work, but varmistan emphasizes ensuring it’s OK, not just looking at it.

How should I pronounce the tricky parts, especially että and lähden?

Key points:

  • että: the tt is long (a “double consonant”). Hold it a bit longer: et-tä.
  • lähden: ä is like the vowel in cat for many speakers (but more fronted). hd is a consonant cluster: läh-den.
  • kunnossa: nn is long: kun-nos-sa.