Hankkiakseen

Hankkiakseen is the third infinitive form of the Finnish verb hankkia, meaning to obtain or to procure. The form hankkiakseen is used to express purpose, typically translating to “in order to obtain” in English. It commonly appears in formal or written Finnish and in subordinate clauses that indicate aims or intentions.

Formation and usage: Hankkiakseen is formed by attaching the suffix -akseen to the verb stem hankki-. As a third infinitive, it is used to describe the purpose of an action, often in sentences that describe what someone is trying to achieve. For example: Hän säästi rahaa hankkiakseen uuden auton. (He saved money in order to obtain a new car.) Organisaatio keräsi lahjoituksia hankkiakseen riittävästi rahoitusta. (The organization collected donations to obtain sufficient funding.)

Relation to other forms: The third infinitive stands apart from the ordinary (first) infinitive hankkia and other non-finite forms. It is a clerical or literary device that emphasizes purpose or aim. In everyday speech, Finns may instead use constructions with jotta, jotta saadaan, tai purpose nouns such as hankkimisen purpose phrases, depending on the context.

Attitude and register: Hankkiakseen tends to appear in formal, official, or technical writing. It is less common in casual spoken Finnish, where speakers might rephrase with esimerkiksi “saadakseen” or “tämän tarkoituksena on” to express a similar idea.

See also: hankkia, third infinitive (general).