Aiheuttamassa

Aiheuttamassa is a Finnish present active participle form of the verb aiheuttaa, meaning “to cause.” In Finnish grammar it is used to describe ongoing causation or to create adverbial or adjectival phrases that express that something is in the act of causing a result. It often appears in clauses with the verb olla (to be), for example Se on aiheuttamassa vahinkoa, meaning “It is causing damage.” The form can also modify nouns in dependent clauses, indicating a causative process.

Formation and usage: Aiheuttamassa is formed from the stem aiheutt- combined with the participial ending -amassa, which marks ongoing action in certain syntactic environments. It is closely related to the present active participle, but tends to convey a progressive or in‑the‑midst‑of‑causing nuance. In practice, it functions as part of a predicate or as an attributive or adverbial phrase within sentences.

Semantic nuance: The phrase emphasizes the process of causation rather than a finished result. It is common in formal, technical, or journalistic writing where the focus is on mechanisms or ongoing effects. It is not a standalone lexical item with a fixed meaning beyond its role as a participial form; its interpretation depends on context.

Examples:

- Se on aiheuttamassa vahinkoa. (It is causing damage.)

- Ilmiö on aiheuttamassa epäilyksiä. (The phenomenon is causing doubts.)

- Päätös on aiheuttamassa muutoksia politiikassa. (The decision is causing changes in politics.)

See also: aiheuttaa, present active participle, Finnish grammar, participles.