Keskustellessaan

Keskustellessaan is a Finnish participial form derived from the verb keskustella, meaning to discuss or to converse. It is a present active participle used to indicate that the action of discussing occurs at the same time as another action in the main clause. In translation, it corresponds to phrases like "while discussing" or "as someone discusses." The form is third-person singular, bearing the suffix -essaan or -essään to reflect the subject of the relative or main clause.

Formation and usage: Keskustellessaan combines the verb stem keskustell- with the suffix -essaan (or -essään after vowel harmony) to mark a concurrent action by the third-person subject. It is used in subordinate participial clauses and often serves to provide circumstantial information such as time, manner, or context. The participial phrase usually shares the same subject as the main clause, though Finnish can also use other person forms in corresponding contexts, such as keskustellessani (while I am discussing) or keskustellessasi (while you are discussing).

Examples: Keskustellessaan ystävänsä kanssa, hän ei huomannut aikaa. Translation: While he was talking with his friend, he did not notice the time. Another form for a different subject is Keskustellessani, meaning "while I am discussing," which can introduce a clause in written Finnish.

Related forms and notes: Keskustellessaan is part of a broader set of participial constructions in Finnish, including the present active participle (keskustellen) and other person-specific variants that convey simultaneous action without a finite verb. These forms are common in narrative and formal writing to express background circumstances succinctly.