Epäonnistuessaan
Epäonnistuessaan is a Finnish adverbial participle form of the verb epäonnistua, meaning “to fail.” It is used to introduce a subordinate clause that specifies the time, condition, or circumstance under which the action of the main clause occurs. In English it can be rendered as “when [one] fails” or “in the event of [one] failing.” The form typically relates to a third-person subject and is found mainly in written or formal Finnish.
Grammatical notes: Epäonnistuessaan is part of the family of adverbial participles formed with the suffixes -essaan/-essä
Usage and nuance: This participial form conveys a more literary or formal tone than everyday speech. It
Example: Hän menetti työnsä epäonnistuessaan. (He lost his job in the event of his failure.)
Related terms: epäonnistuminen (failure), epäonnistua (to fail), and other participial forms such as epäonnistuttuaan (having failed)