Kun työvuoro päättyy, tarkistan palkkalaskelman puhelimesta bussissa.

When the shift ends, I check the payslip on my phone on the bus.

Breakdown of Kun työvuoro päättyy, tarkistan palkkalaskelman puhelimesta bussissa.

• minä: I
• -ssa: in
• kun: when
• puhelin: the phone
• -sta: from
• bussi: the bus
• tarkistaa: to check
• päättyä: to end
• työvuoro: the shift
• palkkalaskelma: the payslip

Questions & Answers about Kun työvuoro päättyy, tarkistan palkkalaskelman puhelimesta bussissa.

What does kun mean here, and why is there a comma after the first part?

Kun introduces a time clause meaning when (sometimes once). The comma separates the subordinate kun-clause from the main clause:

• Kun työvuoro päättyy, = When the work shift ends,
• tarkistan palkkalaskelman... = I check the payslip...

In Finnish, it’s normal to use a comma between a subordinate clause and the main clause.

Why is päättyy in the present tense if the shift ends in the future?

Finnish often uses the present tense in time clauses to refer to the future, especially with words like kun (when) and jos (if). So Kun työvuoro päättyy can mean When my shift ends (later today), ... even though it hasn’t ended yet.

What is työvuoro, and how is it different from other “work” words?

Työvuoro means (work) shift—a scheduled block of working time.
Related words:

• työ = work (general)
• työpäivä = workday
• vuoro = turn/shift (general), and in compounds like työvuoro it becomes specifically a work shift.

Why isn’t there a word for “my” in Kun työvuoro päättyy?

Finnish often leaves out possessives when the context makes them obvious. Kun työvuoro päättyy can naturally be understood as when my shift ends without explicitly saying minun (my). You can add it for emphasis:

• Kun minun työvuoroni päättyy, ... = When my shift ends, ... (more explicit/emphatic)

Why is it tarkistan and not minä tarkistan?

Because the verb ending already shows the person. tarkistan is 1st person singular (I check). Adding minä is optional and usually used for emphasis or contrast:

• Tarkistan palkkalaskelman. = I check the payslip.
• Minä tarkistan palkkalaskelman. = I (not someone else) check the payslip.

What does tarkistan mean exactly—“check,” “inspect,” “verify”?

Tarkistaa commonly means to check in the everyday sense: look at something to confirm or see what it says (like checking a bill, schedule, or message). It can also mean verify, depending on context, but here check (the payslip) is the natural reading.

Why is palkkalaskelman ending in -n?

That -n marks the object as a total object (often called accusative/genitive-looking in singular). With tarkistan (a completed action: I check it / I’ll check it), Finnish typically uses a total object:

• tarkistan palkkalaskelman = I check the (whole) payslip

If you mean you’re only checking some of it / glancing or the action is not “complete,” you might use the partitive:

• tarkistan palkkalaskelmaa = I check/look over the payslip (some/ongoing/partly)

Is palkkalaskelma the same as “payslip,” and could I use another word?

Palkkalaskelma is a standard word for a pay statement / payslip (a breakdown of your pay). Depending on workplace and register, you may also see:

• palkkakuitti = pay slip/receipt (more informal in tone; not always the official term)
• palkkaerittely = pay breakdown/itemization (more explicitly about the details)

What does puhelimesta mean literally, and why “from the phone” instead of “on the phone”?

Puhelimesta is the elative case (out of/from inside), literally from the phone. In Finnish, this is commonly used to mean you’re obtaining information from a device/source:

• tarkistan ... puhelimesta = I check ... on/from my phone (idiomatic)

If you say puhelimella (adessive), that’s more like using the phone as an instrument:

• tarkistan ... puhelimella = I check ... using my phone

Both can work, but puhelimesta fits especially well when the phone is the source where the info is displayed.

Why is it bussissa and not bussilla if English says “on the bus”?

Finnish treats being inside a bus as being in it, so bussissa (inessive = in) is normal for location:

• bussissa = on the bus / in the bus (while you’re inside it)

Bussilla (adessive) is commonly used for by bus (means of transport):

• Menin töihin bussilla. = I went to work by bus.

So here, bussissa emphasizes where you are when checking.

Does the sentence mean you check the payslip after the shift, or during the bus ride?

It means: when the shift ends, you (then) check the payslip while on the bus. The structure is:

• time trigger: Kun työvuoro päättyy
• action: tarkistan
• where: bussissa
• via/source: puhelimesta

So it strongly implies the checking happens during the bus ride (after the shift ends).

Is the word order flexible? Could I move bussissa or puhelimesta earlier?

Yes, Finnish word order is fairly flexible and can shift emphasis. These are all possible with slightly different focus:

• Kun työvuoro päättyy, tarkistan palkkalaskelman puhelimesta bussissa. (neutral)
• Kun työvuoro päättyy, tarkistan bussissa palkkalaskelman puhelimesta. (emphasizes on the bus)
• Kun työvuoro päättyy, tarkistan puhelimesta palkkalaskelman bussissa. (emphasizes from/on the phone)

The basic meaning stays the same; the moved element often gets more attention.