Kuvailtaessa

Kuvailtaessa is a Finnish adverbial participle form meaning “while describing” or “in describing.” It is used to introduce a subordinate clause that describes the circumstance under which the main clause takes place, typically connecting descriptive or analytical statements to the action of describing.

Grammatically, kuvailtaessa is formed from a verb meaning to describe or depict and functions as a circumstantial adverbial form. In most cases the subject of the participle clause is the same as the subject of the main clause; when the subjects differ, careful construction is needed to prevent ambiguity. It is commonly found in formal, descriptive, or academic prose.

Usage examples:

Kuvailtaessa tilannetta on tärkeää huomioida konteksti. (When describing the situation, it is important to consider the context.)

Kuvailtaessa ilmiötä voidaan todeta, että aineistossa esiintyy vaihtelua. (When describing the phenomenon, it can be observed that the data show variation.)

Notes:

The form is one of Finnish adverbial participles used to convey circumstance alongside the main clause. It should be chosen when a descriptive or analytic framing is required, and it can be replaced with explicit dependent clauses if clarity is needed.

See also:

Finnish grammar on adverbial participles, such as -essa/-taessa forms, and related constructions for marking time or circumstance in subordinate clauses.