ehtolause

Ehtolause is a linguistic term used in Finnish grammar to denote a conditional clause, a subordinate clause that sets a condition for the truth or occurrence of the main clause. It is the grammatical device that expresses “if” or “in case” conditions, and it can change how the main clause is understood.

In Finnish and related Finnic grammars, ehtolause may appear before or after the main clause. It is typically introduced by a conjunction such as jos in Finnish (equivalent to if) or by a phrase that indicates a condition. The condition clause and the main clause can interact through tense, mood, and aspect to convey factual, possible, or hypothetical outcomes.

Commonly, ehtolause types include real (open) conditions, which refer to conditions likely to occur, and irrealis (closed or counterfactual) conditions, which discuss hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations. In real conditions, the condition clause may use the indicative mood, while the main clause expresses the consequence in the present or future. In unreal conditions, the condition clause often uses a past or conditional form, and the main clause may express a hypothetical result such as what would happen or what would have happened.

Examples illustrate the concept. Real: If it rains, we will stay indoors. Unreal: If I had more time, I would learn Finnish. The term ehtolause corresponds to the general grammatical category known in many languages as a conditional clause or conditional sentence, a structure used to express dependence of one action on another.