Avustajina

Avustajina is a Finnish linguistic term describing the plural essive form of the noun avustaja, meaning assistant. The essive case is used to express a temporary state or role, so avustajina translates roughly to “as assistants” or “in the capacity of assistants” for multiple people. The corresponding singular form is avustajana, meaning “as an assistant.”

Morphology and usage: Avustaja in the basic form becomes avustajina in the plural essive. This form is typically used after a noun phrase to indicate the role of several people. It is common in formal, administrative, or organizational texts to describe how individuals act or function within a project, program, or institution.

Examples:

- Hankkeen avustajina toimivat useat vapaaehtoiset. (Several volunteers act as the project’s assistants.)

- Projektin hallinnon avustajina toimivat sekä palkatut että vapaaehtoiset. (In the project’s administration, both paid staff and volunteers act as assistants.)

- Koulutuksessa avustajina toimineet oppilaat saivat arvokasta kokemusta. (The students who acted as assistants in the training gained valuable experience.)

Notes: Avustajina is closely related to avustaja (assistant) and to the essive case, which marks roles or states of being, particularly in contexts describing functions or duties. It contrasts with avustajaksi (into the role of an assistant) in the translative case, which expresses a change of state or function.