Ajattelussaan

Ajattelussaan is a Finnish grammatical construction that means “in one’s thinking” or “in his/her mind.” It is used to indicate that what follows or the viewpoint being described derives from the subject’s internal reasoning or perspective. The form is commonly found in narrative prose and analytical writing.

Morphology and formation: Ajattelussaan is built from the noun ajattelu (thinking) in the inessive case (-ssa), combined with the third-person possessive suffix (-nsa/-nsä) to signal the possessor. The result is a fixed phrase that locates a mental state or consideration within the subject.

Usage and nuance: The expression foregrounds the subject’s internal stance rather than external observation. It can convey deliberate reasoning, bias, doubt, or introspection, and it often contrasts with actions or spoken statements. In literary and journalistic contexts, ajattelussaan helps to clarify whose thinking is being discussed and to nuance the interpretation of events or decisions.

Examples:

- Ajattelussaan hän näki tilanteen toisin. (In his thinking, he saw the situation differently.)

- Hänen ajattelussaan rehellisyys on keskeinen arvo. (In his thinking, honesty is a central value.)

- Ajattelussaan hän mietti seuraavaa siirtoa. (In his thinking, he pondered the next move.)

See also: ajattelu (thinking), ajatella (to think), ajatuksissaan (in one’s thoughts).