Avattavana

Avattavana is a linguistic term used in Finnish grammar to describe a non-finite verb form related to the verb avata, meaning to open. The form expresses that something is in the state of being opened or is to be opened. It is derived from the verb stem avata and the participial suffix -ttava, and it may appear in predicative or postposed positions in a sentence.

In usage, avattavana often appears in instructional, descriptive, or label-like contexts rather than in everyday spoken Finnish. It is typically encountered in grammar descriptions that outline how the openable or to-be-opened state can be conveyed within a sentence. For example, in a sentence structure where an object’s opening status is being described, avattavana can function similarly to an adjective or a predicative phrase.

Avattavana is closely related to other -ttava forms such as avattava, which means openable or capable of being opened, but avattavana carries a sense of ongoing or intended state in a predicative context. In common practice, speakers may prefer simpler constructions such as avattava or the passive construction avataan for everyday communication. Because avattavana is mainly of descriptive grammatical interest, it is most often found in language resources, dictionaries, and manuals rather than in colloquial speech.

See also: Finnish grammar, avata, avattava, participles.