Harrastajina

Harrastajina is the plural essive form of the Finnish noun harrastaja, meaning a hobbyist or enthusiast. The word translates roughly to “as hobbyists” and is used to describe people who engage in an activity in a non-professional capacity.

In Finnish, the essive case expresses a temporary state or role. The plural essive is formed with the suffix -ina/-inä, attached to the noun stem, yielding harrastajina for “as hobbyists.” This form is used whenever the sentence refers to multiple people acting in the role of hobbyists.

Usage and examples help illustrate its function. For example: “Hän toimi harrastajina järjestäessä tapahtumaa,” meaning “He acted as a hobbyist while organizing the event.” Another example: “Keskusteluun osallistuneet olivat harrastajina,” meaning “The participants in the discussion were hobbyists.” A related construction is “harrastajina toimivista valokuvaajista,” as in “Kuvitusryhmä koostuu harrastajina toimivista valokuvaajista,” meaning “The visual group consists of photographers who work as hobbyists.”

Related terms and notes: harrastaja is the base noun meaning hobbyist; harrastajaksi is the translative form meaning “to become a hobbyist,” and harrastajana is the singular essive “as a hobbyist.” The distinction between harrastaja (hobbyist) and ammattilainen (professional) is often highlighted in contexts discussing non-professional or voluntary activity.