Etsimiselle

Etsimiselle is a Finnish grammatical form that represents the allative case of the noun etsiminen, meaning the act or process of searching. The allative suffix -lle marks direction toward a purpose, recipient, or target, so etsimiselle can be translated as “for the search” or “to the search” in English. The form is used in formal or written Finnish to indicate the beneficiary or aim of an action centered on searching or seeking.

Morphology and usage. Etsimiselle is formed by adding the allative suffix -lle to the stem of etsiminen. It often appears in contexts such as planning, budgeting, or policy where resources, goals, or duties are assigned to the act of searching or investigating. For example, a sentence like “Hankkeen etsimiselle on varattu rahoitus” means “Funding has been allocated for the search of the project.” In practice, etsimiselle helps differentiate the target of action from the action itself, which is often conveyed by other cases or verbal constructions.

Nuances. The allative case, including etsimiselle, is one of several Finnish case forms that express relation to purpose or direction. Its use tends to be more common in written or technical language and in compound phrases describing allocations, objectives, or responsibilities related to searching, investigation, or inquiry. It is not typically used to mark the direct object of a verb but rather to indicate the intended scope or beneficiary of the action.

See also: Finnish grammar, allative case, etsintä, etsiminen.