Hoitamalla

Hoitamalla is a Finnish verbal noun (gerund) formed with the suffix -malla from the verb hoitaa, meaning to take care of or to treat. As a means- or method-expressing gerund, hoitamalla roughly translates to “by taking care of” or “by treating.” It functions as an adverbial modifier that indicates the way in which an action is performed, rather than naming the action itself.

Etymology and formation: The form is created by attaching -malla to the verb stem hoita- and is part of Finnish’s system of instrumental or means-oriented gerunds. This construction is productive in many everyday and formal contexts, especially where the speaker wants to specify method, process, or approach.

Usage: Hoitamalla is common in instructional, procedural, and descriptive language. It can introduce a clause that explains how something is achieved or how a result is obtained. For example, “Hoitamalla kasveja säännöllisesti ne kukoistavat” means “By taking care of the plants regularly, they flourish.” Another example is “Hoitamalla vanhusta asianmukaisesti voidaan varmistaa hänen hyvinvointinsa,” meaning “By taking care of the elderly properly, one can ensure their well-being.”

Notes: The hoitamalla form is distinct from the noun derived with -minen (hoitaminen), which names the activity itself rather than the means by which it is done. While hoitamalla emphasizes method, hoitaminen tends to foreground the act as a concept or event. The gerund fits into a wide range of Finnish sentences and mirrors other instrumental or means-based constructions in the language.