Etsin kynää, koska haluan kirjoittaa muistilapun.

I am looking for a pen because I want to write a sticky note.

Breakdown of Etsin kynää, koska haluan kirjoittaa muistilapun.

• minä: I
• haluta: to want
• koska: because
• kirjoittaa: to write
• etsiä: to look for
• muistilappu: sticky note
• kynä: pen

Questions & Answers about Etsin kynää, koska haluan kirjoittaa muistilapun.

Why is kynä in the form kynää instead of kynä?

Because etsiä (to look for / search for) typically takes its object in the partitive case when you’re searching for something that isn’t yet found or is indefinite/unknown.

• Etsin kynää = I’m looking for a pen / some pen (not found yet).
  If you had the pen already identified or the action was “completed,” you’d more often use a total object (though with etsiä, partitive is the normal choice).

What case is kynää, and how do I recognize it?

Kynää is partitive singular. A common partitive ending is -a/-ä (chosen by vowel harmony).

• Base form (nominative): kynä
• Partitive singular: kynä + ä → kynää (note the long vowel ää)

Why is there a comma before koska?

In Finnish, a subordinate clause introduced by koska (because) is usually separated from the main clause with a comma.

• Etsin kynää, koska haluan… = main clause + comma + because-clause

Does koska always mean because?

Most commonly, koska means because. It can also mean since in the “because” sense.
It can sometimes appear in time-related uses in older/literary language, but for learners it’s safest to treat koska as because unless context clearly indicates otherwise.

How is haluan formed?

Haluan is the 1st person singular present tense of haluta (to want).
Typical present tense endings:

• haluan = I want
• haluat = you want
• haluaa = he/she wants
  The stem changes slightly: halu-
  • personal ending (-an, -at, etc.).

Why do both haluan and kirjoittaa appear—why “want write” instead of “want to write”?

Finnish uses an infinitive after verbs like haluta (want), without a separate word for to.

• haluan kirjoittaa literally “I want write,” meaning “I want to write.”

What form is kirjoittaa, and what does that double aa indicate?

Kirjoittaa is the first infinitive (dictionary form) of the verb kirjoittaa (to write).
The long vowel aa is part of the verb’s infinitive ending -ta/-tä combined with vowel length in the stem pattern of this verb.

Why is muistilappu in the form muistilapun?

Muistilapun is the total object form (often called the accusative in Finnish grammar, but it looks like the genitive -n in singular). It signals the action is seen as bounded/complete: writing a (whole) note.

• kirjoittaa muistilapun = write a note (as a complete item)
  If you meant an unbounded/ongoing amount of writing, you might use partitive:
• kirjoittaa muistilappua = write on a note / write a note (process-focused, less “completed”)

So why does etsin take partitive (kynää) but kirjoittaa takes muistilapun?

Because the verbs differ in how the action is viewed:

• etsiä (to search for) naturally describes an ongoing, unresolved activity → partitive is typical.
• kirjoittaa muistilapun describes producing a finished result (a completed note) → total object (-n in singular) is common.

Can the word order change, or is this the only correct order?

The given order is the neutral, most common one. Finnish word order is fairly flexible, but changes usually add emphasis:

• Neutral: Etsin kynää, koska haluan kirjoittaa muistilapun.
• Emphasis on reason: Koska haluan kirjoittaa muistilapun, etsin kynää.
  Both are correct; the second foregrounds the “because” part.

How do I pronounce and break down the compound muistilappu?

Muistilappu is a compound:

• muisti = memory
• lappu = slip/piece of paper
  Together: muistilappu = note / memo slip.
  In compounds, Finnish usually puts the main stress on the first part: MUIS-ti-lap-pu.

How would I make this sentence negative?

You’d use the negative verb en with the main verb in its connegative form:

• En etsi kynää, koska en halua kirjoittaa muistilappua.
  Notes:
• etsi is the connegative of etsiä (after en)
• The object after kirjoittaa often shifts to partitive (muistilappua) in negative sentences (a common Finnish pattern).