Kilpaillen

Kilpaillen is a Finnish adverbial participle formed from the verb kilpailla, meaning to compete. It denotes that the action of competing occurs simultaneously with another action and describes the manner or circumstance of that action. The form is commonly used in written Finnish, including journalism and literary prose, but can also appear in everyday speech.

The form kilpaillen is created by adding the adverbial participle suffix -en to the verb stem kilpaill-, producing a non-finite clause that functions as a manner adjunct. It is used to link two actions without a coordinating conjunction, similar to phrases like “competing” or “while competing” in English. The construction expresses simultaneity and can modify the main verb or the entire clause. Typically, the subject of the participial clause is the same as the subject of the main clause, though the exact construction may vary in more complex sentences.

In terms of style, kilpaillen is part of a broader set of adverbial participles in Finnish. It offers a concise way to convey parallel activities, often contributing a formal or literary tone. In casual speech, speakers may prefer subordinate clauses or other expressions to express the same idea.

Examples:

- Hän kilpaillen muiden kanssa juoksi maratonin. (He ran the marathon, competing with others.)

- Kilpaillen aikaa vastaan hän päätti lopettaa harjoittelun. (Competing against time, he decided to stop practicing.)

See also: Finnish adverbial participles, non-finite clauses, kilpailla (to compete).