Sivualalause

Sivualalause, often translated as subordinate clause or dependent clause, is a grammatical construction that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject and a verb but requires a main clause to express a complete thought. Sivulauseet function as parts of speech within the main clause, similar to how a single word or phrase might.

There are several types of sivulause. One common type is a noun clause, which acts as a noun in the main clause. For example, "Minä tiedän, että hän tulee." (I know that he is coming.) Here, "että hän tulee" functions as the direct object of the verb "tiedän." Another type is an adjective clause, which modifies a noun or pronoun in the main clause. An example is "Kirja, jonka luin, oli mielenkiintoinen." (The book, which I read, was interesting.) The clause "jonka luin" describes the noun "kirja." Adverbial clauses, on the other hand, function as adverbs, providing information about time, place, cause, condition, or concession. "Kun aurinko laskee, linnut lopettavat laulamisen." (When the sun sets, the birds stop singing.) The clause "kun aurinko laskee" tells us when the birds stop singing.

Sivulauseet are typically introduced by subordinating conjunctions such as "että" (that), "koska" (because), "jos" (if), "kun" (when), "vaikka" (although), or relative pronouns like "joka" (who/which) and "mikä" (what/which). They add complexity and detail to sentences, allowing for more nuanced expression of ideas.