Laskemaan

Laskemaan is a Finnish ma-infinitive form of the verb laskea, meaning to count, to calculate, or to estimate. It is not a standalone lexical item but a grammatical form used to express purpose or to introduce non-finite clauses.

Formation and use: The ma-infinitive is formed by adding the suffix -maan or -mään to the verb stem, with the choice determined by vowel harmony. For laskemaan, the stem laskem- takes the suffix -aan to produce laskemaan. This form is commonly used to indicate the purpose of an action or to describe an intended future task, especially after verbs of motion or intention, as in Mennen laskemaan luvut (I am going to count the numbers).

Relation to other forms: Laskemaan contrasts with the bare infinitive laskea, which can function as a general dictionary form, and with laskeminen, the noun form that denotes the act of counting or calculating. The ma-infinitive often appears in constructions that express purpose, intention, or planned activity rather than a simple, standalone action.

Examples:

- Menen laskemaan luvut. (I am going to count the numbers.)

- Hän lähti laskemaan tilinpäätöksen loppusummaa. (He left to calculate the final sum of the financial statements.)

Overall, laskemaan functions as a non-finite, purpose-oriented form of laskea that helps describe planned or intended counting, calculating, or estimating actions within sentences.