Odotan sinua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee.

I am waiting for you in the café until the bus comes.

Breakdown of Odotan sinua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee.

• minä: I
• sinä: you
• -ssa: in
• odottaa: to wait for
• tulla: to come
• kunnes: until
• bussi: bus
• kahvila: café

Questions & Answers about Odotan sinua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee.

Why is sinua in the partitive case, not sinut?

With odottaa (to wait for/expect), the object is typically in the partitive: Odotan sinua = I’m waiting for you.
Using sinut (accusative) would usually imply a more “completed/total” object in other contexts, but with odottaa the standard pattern is partitive because the waiting is an ongoing, not-completed situation.

What case is kahvilassa, and why is it used?

Kahvilassa is the inessive case (ending -ssa/-ssä), meaning in a place.
So kahvilassa = in the café. It answers “where?”: Missä? → Kahvilassa.

How would I say to the café or from the café instead?

Finnish uses different local cases:

• kahvilaan (illative) = into / to the café
• kahvilasta (elative) = out of / from the café
  So you could have:
• Odotan sinua kahvilaan asti = I’ll wait for you up to the café / until the café (different meaning), or more naturally
• Tulen kahvilaan = I’ll come to the café
• Lähden kahvilasta = I’ll leave from the café

Why is there a comma before kunnes?

Because kunnes bussi tulee is a subordinate clause. In Finnish, a subordinate clause is normally separated from the main clause with a comma:

• Odotan sinua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee.
  Main clause: Odotan sinua kahvilassa
  Subordinate clause: kunnes bussi tulee

What does kunnes specifically mean, and how is it different from kun?

kunnes means until (up to the point when something happens). It sets an end point.
kun usually means when (at the time that / once), and doesn’t necessarily highlight an “until” boundary.

• kunnes bussi tulee = until the bus arrives
• kun bussi tulee = when the bus arrives (focus is the moment it arrives)

Why is tulee in the present tense if the meaning is about the future?

Finnish often uses the present tense for future events when the context makes it clear it’s future:

• bussi tulee can mean the bus comes / the bus will come
  If you want to be extra explicit, you can add a time word:
• kunnes bussi tulee pian = until the bus comes soon

Could I use saapuu instead of tulee for the bus?

Yes, and it’s very common:

• kunnes bussi saapuu = until the bus arrives
  saapua is more specifically to arrive, while tulla is broader (to come). For vehicles, both work well; saapua is a bit more “arrival-focused.”

Is the word order flexible? Could I move kahvilassa or sinua?

Finnish word order is fairly flexible, but changes emphasis. Neutral:

• Odotan sinua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee. Emphasize the place:
• Kahvilassa odotan sinua, kunnes bussi tulee. Emphasize “you” (contrast):
• Sinua minä odotan kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee. The core grammar (cases, verb forms) stays the same.

How do I ask a question with this sentence, like “Will you wait for me…?”

You typically use the question particle -ko/-kö on the verb:

• Odotatko sinä minua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee? = Will you wait for me in the café until the bus comes?
  Often the pronoun is dropped:
• Odotatko minua kahvilassa, kunnes bussi tulee?

Why is sinua after the verb—could it be omitted like English sometimes omits objects?

The object usually cannot be omitted if it’s essential information.
Odotan kahvilassa just means I’m waiting in the café, but it doesn’t say who/what you’re waiting for. If the object is known from context, you can omit it, but that’s the same idea as in English:

• Context-known: Odotan kahvilassa. = I’m waiting in the café. (implied: for you/us/etc.)

Could this sentence mean “I expect you in the café” rather than “I’m waiting for you in the café”?

Yes, odottaa can mean both to wait for and to expect, depending on context.
In everyday situations with a person and a place, Odotan sinua kahvilassa is most naturally understood as I’m waiting for you in the café. If you want to emphasize “expect” (as in “I’m counting on you to be there”), you’d usually add context or choose another phrasing.

How is this pronounced, especially odotan, sinua, and kunnes?

Approximate pronunciation (not exact IPA, but helpful):

• Odotan: oh-doh-tahn (stress on first syllable: Odo-tan)
• sinua: see-noo-ah (stress: sinu-a; u is like “oo”)
• kahvilassa: kah-vee-lahs-sah (double ss is held longer)
• kunnes: koon-nes (double nn is held longer)
  Key tip: Finnish stress is almost always on the first syllable, and double consonants (ss, nn) are longer than single ones.