Peruslauseen

Peruslause (basic/main clause) is a term in Finnish grammar that refers to the simplest type of sentence that can stand on its own and expresses a complete thought. The defining feature is the presence of a finite verb; in many peruslause the subject is explicit, but Finnish allows subject expression to be omitted when it is understood from the verb form or context. A peruslause can be extended with objects, adverbials, and complements without losing its status as a standalone sentence. It contrasts with subordinate clauses (alaehtoinen/lauses) that depend on a main clause and cannot stand alone.

The core of a peruslause is the finite verb, which carries information about person, number, tense, and mood through its inflection. Finnish word order is relatively flexible because of case endings; the most common underlying order is subject–verb–object, but various orders are possible for emphasis or style.

Peruslause can take different sentence types: declarative statements, interrogatives (formed by word order, intonation, or question words), and imperatives (commands; here the subject is often implicit). In addition, a compound sentence can contain a peruslause as its main clause alongside subordinate clauses.

The term peruslauseen is the genitive form used in grammar discussions to refer to “the basic sentence” or to talk about the concept of a basic sentence, as in peruslauseen rakenne (the structure of the basic sentence).