Harjoittaen

Harjoittaen is a Finnish adverbial participle (converb) form of the verb harjoittaa, meaning to practice, train, or perform. It expresses manner or means and is used to connect commands or actions in a sentence by indicating that the second action is performed by means of the described practice, or that the actions occur simultaneously.

Formation and use: The form is created from the verb stem harjoitt- with the adverbial participle suffix -en. It functions non-finitely, modifying the main clause to specify how the action is carried out. In practice, it often translates to English as “by practicing” or “while practicing.” It can appear before or after the main clause, depending on emphasis and style.

Typical usage: Harjoittaen is commonly found in written Finnish and more formal narrative or instructional text. It is less frequent in casual speech, where speakers might prefer a subordinate clause or a more straightforward construction.

Examples:

- Hän paransi kuntoaan harjoittaen säännöllisesti. (He improved his fitness by practicing regularly.)

- Harjoittaen ohjelmointia päivittäin, hän sai projektinsa valmiiksi. (By practicing programming daily, he completed his project.)

Related forms: Harjoittaminen is the nominal form meaning “practice” or “training.” Harjoittava is the present participle meaning “practicing.” The adverbial participle harvoin replaces all similar uses, but it offers a concise, literary way to link actions by means of practice.

See also: harjoittaminen, harjoittava, Finnish converb forms.