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Pidän kuitin mukana, jotta voin tarkistaa summan myöhemmin.

Pidän kuitin mukana, jotta voin tarkistaa summan myöhemmin.
I keep the receipt with me so that I can check the amount later.
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Questions & Answers about Pidän kuitin mukana, jotta voin tarkistaa summan myöhemmin.

Why is kuitin in the -n form? What case is it?

Kuitin is the singular genitive/accusative form of kuitti (receipt). With pitää meaning to keep/hold onto (not to like), Finnish typically marks the object as a total object, often with the -n form in the singular.
So Pidän kuitin mukana ≈ I keep the receipt with me (a complete, specific receipt).

Doesn’t pitää mean to like? Why doesn’t this sentence use the partitive (like Pidän kahvista)?

Pitää has multiple common meanings:

  • pitää + elative (-sta/-stä) = to like: Pidän kahvista (I like coffee).
  • pitää + object = to keep/hold: Pidän kuitin mukana (I keep the receipt with me).

In your sentence, pitää is the keep/hold verb, so it takes a direct object (kuitin), not an -sta/-stä “like” structure.

Could it be Pidän kuittia mukana instead of Pidän kuitin mukana? What’s the difference?

Yes, you might hear Pidän kuittia mukana, but the nuance changes:

  • Pidän kuitin mukana = keeping that specific receipt, treated as a complete item (total object).
  • Pidän kuittia mukana = more like keeping a receipt / some receipt, or focusing on the action as ongoing/indefinite (partitive object).

In everyday “I’m keeping the receipt (from this purchase)” situations, kuitin is very natural.

What exactly does mukana mean here, and why is it not mukanani?

mukana means with (someone), along, with you/in your possession. It’s a common adverb used without explicitly stating “whose”:

  • Pidän kuitin mukana = I keep the receipt with me.

You can specify:

  • Pidän kuitin mukanani = explicitly with me (sounds a bit more formal/explicit).
  • Pidän kuitin mukanasi = with you.

But mukana alone is very common when it’s obvious who has it.

Why is jotta used, and how is it different from että?

jotta introduces a purpose clause: so that / in order that.

  • Pidän kuitin mukana, jotta voin tarkistaa... = I keep the receipt so that I can check...

että more often introduces a content clause (what someone says/thinks/knows):

  • Tiedän, että voin tarkistaa summan myöhemmin. = I know that I can check the amount later.

So jotta is the correct connector for expressing purpose here.

Why is it voin tarkistaa (I can check) instead of just tarkistan (I check)?

voin adds the meaning of ability/possibility: so that I can check the amount later.
Without voin, jotta tarkistan summan myöhemmin is possible, but it sounds more like “so that I will check later” (more straightforward intention). Using voin emphasizes that keeping the receipt makes checking possible.

Why is summan also in the -n form?

summan is the singular genitive/accusative form of summa (sum/amount). With tarkistaa (to check/verify), the object is often a total object: you’re checking the whole amount (a specific amount on the receipt).
So tarkistaa summan = check the amount.

Could I say tarkistaa summa (without -n) or tarkistaa summaa (partitive)? What changes?
  • tarkistaa summan (most natural here) = check/verify the specific amount completely.
  • tarkistaa summaa (partitive) could suggest checking part of it, or doing the checking in an open-ended/ongoing way (less typical in this exact “receipt amount” context).
  • tarkistaa summa is not the normal object marking in standard Finnish; you generally need summan or summaa depending on meaning.
Why are there no pronouns like minä or sen? Is something being omitted?

Finnish commonly drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person:

  • Pidän = (I) keep
  • voin = (I) can

Also, the object is already specific:

  • kuitin = the receipt (no need for sen = it, unless you’re emphasizing or contrasting).

You can add pronouns for emphasis:

  • Minä pidän kuitin mukana... = I (as for me) keep the receipt...
What’s the basic word order here, and can it be changed?

The neutral structure is:

  • [Main clause], jotta [purpose clause].

Pidän kuitin mukana (main statement) + jotta voin tarkistaa summan myöhemmin (purpose).

You can move myöhemmin for emphasis, but the original is very natural:

  • ... jotta voin myöhemmin tarkistaa summan. (slightly different rhythm/emphasis)

Finnish word order is flexible, but changes can affect emphasis.

How do you pronounce myöhemmin and the Finnish ö?

myöhemmin is roughly /ˈmyøhemːin/:

  • y is like German ü (lips rounded, like oo, but tongue position like ee).
  • ö is like German ö / French eu (similar to the vowel in her in some accents, but with rounded lips).
  • Double consonants matter: mm is held longer in myöhemmin.

A careful syllable feel is myö-hem-min.