Menemään

Menemään is the ma-infinitive form of the Finnish verb mennä, meaning “to go.” It is a non-finite verb form used to express purpose or intention when combined with another verb. In Finnish grammar, menemään belongs to the ma-infinitive family, which uses the suffix -maan or -mään depending on vowel harmony.

Formation and function: The ma-infinitive is formed by attaching the appropriate suffix to the verb stem. For mennä, the form becomes mene- + mään, yielding menemään. This infinitive is typically used after another verb to indicate the action that is intended to accompany the main verb, or in constructions that express purpose.

Usage examples: The ma-infinitive appears in phrases such as mennä katsomaan (to go watch), mennä syömään (to go eat), and mennä tapaamaan (to go meet). In sentences, the ma-infinitive often follows a finite verb or forms part of a larger clause that conveys intention.

Examples:

- Mennään katsomaan elokuvaa. (Let's go to watch a movie.)

- Hän meni syömään. (He went to eat.)

- Lähdemme tapaamaan vanhempia. (We are leaving to meet the parents.)

Difference from other forms: The ma-infinitive differs from the basic perusinfinitiivi mennä and from participles. It cannot stand alone as the main verb in a simple clause; its main role is to express purpose or direction of the action described by the accompanying verb.

Notes: Finnish features several infinitive forms, including the ma-infinitive. The ma-infinitive is common in both spoken and written Finnish, especially in constructions that convey purpose, intention, or coordinated actions.