Purpose and Result Clauses in Finnish

Overview

Purpose and result clauses express why something is done (the goal) and what happens as a consequence (the outcome). At the B1 level, these structures allow you to explain motivations, describe intentions, and connect actions to their outcomes. Finnish uses specific conjunctions and infinitive constructions for these relationships.

Purpose clauses answer the question "why?" or "for what purpose?" and typically use jotta (so that/in order that) or the 1st infinitive long form. Result clauses describe what happens as a consequence and use niin että (so that, with the result that). Mastering both types enriches your ability to explain reasoning and narrate events with clear causal connections.

How It Works

Purpose conjunctions and constructions

Construction	Meaning	Example	English
jotta + clause	so that / in order to	Opiskelen, jotta oppisin.	I study so that I would learn.
jotta ei	so that...not	Lähdin aikaisin, jotta en myöhästyisi.	I left early so I wouldn't be late.
-akseen (1st inf. long)	in order to	Hän tuli oppiakseen.	He/She came to learn.
sitä varten, että	for the purpose of	Sitä varten, että voisimme...	In order that we could...

Result conjunctions

Construction	Meaning	Example	English
niin että	so that (result)	Puhuin hitaasti, niin että hän ymmärsi.	I spoke slowly so that he understood.
niin...että	so...that	Olin niin väsynyt, että nukahdin.	I was so tired that I fell asleep.
siten, että	in such a way that	Tee siten, että kaikki ymmärtävät.	Do it so that everyone understands.

Purpose: jotta + conditional

Purpose clauses with jotta often use the conditional mood:

Main clause	Purpose clause	English
Opiskelen kovasti,	jotta saisin hyvät arvosanat.	I study hard so that I would get good grades.
Säästän rahaa,	jotta voisin matkustaa.	I save money so that I could travel.
Puhuin hitaasti,	jotta hän ymmärtäisi.	I spoke slowly so that he/she would understand.

Purpose: infinitive constructions

Construction	Example	English
1st inf. long form	Hän tuli Suomeen oppiakseen suomea.	He/She came to Finland to learn Finnish.
3rd inf. illative	Menen kauppaan ostamaan ruokaa.	I go to the store to buy food.

Result: niin...että

Pattern	Example	English
niin + ADJ + että	Sää oli niin kylmä, että jäätiin kotiin.	The weather was so cold that we stayed home.
niin + ADV + että	Hän puhui niin nopeasti, että en ymmärtänyt.	He/She spoke so fast that I didn't understand.
niin + VERB + että	Satoi niin paljon, että kadut tulvivat.	It rained so much that the streets flooded.

Examples in Context

Finnish	English	Note
Opiskelen jotta oppisin suomea.	I study so that I would learn Finnish.	Purpose + conditional
Hän säästää rahaa voidakseen matkustaa.	He/She saves money to be able to travel.	Purpose (1st inf. long)
Puhuin hitaasti, niin että kaikki ymmärsivät.	I spoke slowly so that everyone understood.	Result
Olin niin väsynyt, etten jaksanut.	I was so tired that I couldn't manage.	Degree + result
Menen kauppaan ostamaan maitoa.	I go to the store to buy milk.	Purpose (3rd inf.)
Jotta onnistuisimme, meidän pitää tehdä yhteistyötä.	In order to succeed, we need to cooperate.	Purpose first
Harjoittelin paljon, niin että pääsin kokeesta läpi.	I practiced a lot, so that I passed the exam.	Result
Tein sen sitä varten, että kaikki hyötyisivät.	I did it so that everyone would benefit.	Formal purpose
Hän puhui niin hiljaa, ettei kukaan kuullut.	He/She spoke so quietly that nobody heard.	Degree + result
Lähdin aikaisin, jotta ehtisin bussiin.	I left early so that I would catch the bus.	Purpose + conditional

Common Mistakes

Using indicative instead of conditional after jotta

• Wrong: Opiskelen, jotta opin. (indicative)
• Right: Opiskelen, jotta oppisin. (conditional)
• Why: Purpose clauses with jotta typically require the conditional mood, expressing the desired but not yet achieved outcome.

Confusing purpose and result

• Wrong: Using niin että when meaning "in order to"
• Right: Use jotta for purpose (intention) and niin että for result (actual outcome)
• Why: Purpose = the goal you aim for. Result = what actually happened. These are different logical relationships.

Using "jotta" when an infinitive suffices

• Wrong: Menen kauppaan, jotta ostaisin maitoa. (overly complex)
• Right: Menen kauppaan ostamaan maitoa. (simple and natural)
• Why: When the subject is the same in both clauses, the infinitive construction is simpler and more natural than a full jotta-clause.

Usage Notes

In spoken Finnish, jotta is often shortened to että or replaced with simpler constructions. The infinitive forms (oppiakseen, ostamaan) are common in both speech and writing and are the preferred way to express purpose when possible. Full jotta-clauses are more common in written and formal Finnish.

The niin...että construction is very common in everyday Finnish and is used for both positive and negative results.

Practice Tips

1. Purpose explanation: For each daily activity, explain the purpose: Herään aikaisin, jotta ehtisin töihin. Syön aamupalaa saadakseni energiaa.
2. Result description: Describe consequences: Satoi niin paljon, että... Olin niin iloinen, että... Puhui niin nopeasti, että...
3. Construction comparison: Express the same purpose using three different constructions: jotta-clause, 1st infinitive long form, 3rd infinitive illative.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Conditional Mood — the mood used in purpose clauses