Harkittaessa

Harkittaessa is a Finnish linguistic term referring to the adverbial participle form of the verb harkita, meaning to consider or deliberate. It expresses that the action in the main clause occurs during the act of considering, or upon consideration. The form is most common in formal Finnish, including legal, philosophical, and academic prose, and is less frequent in everyday speech.

Formation and use: Harkittaessa is built from the verb stem harkita with the verbal suffix -tta and the inessive/essive-like suffix -essa, yielding the meaning "while considering" or "upon consideration." It functions as a subordinating adverbial participle, similar to other -ttaessa forms such as kirjoittaessa (while writing). It can introduce a subordinate clause and is often placed at the beginning of a sentence for stylistic effect.

Examples: Harkittaessa kaikkia vaihtoehtoja, päätös tehtiin lopulta. (Upon considering all options, the decision was made in the end.) Harkittaessa tämän kustannukset, projekti näyttää epävarmalta. (Considering these costs, the project seems uncertain.)

Usage notes: Harkittaessa is a formal, written-language device and may sound archaic or overly elaborate in casual conversation. In many contexts, speakers may prefer kun harkitaan or harkittuna as clearer or more contemporary alternatives.

See also: Finnish grammar; participles; -ttaessa constructions; examples with kirjoittaessa.