Mittamaan

Mittamaan is a Finnish verb form derived from the root mitta-, meaning to measure. It is the second infinitive form of the verb mitata, created with the suffix -maan or -mään according to vowel harmony. The standard dictionary form for the action is mitata, which is the first infinitive.

Usage and context: Mittamaan appears mainly in older or more formal registers of Finnish. In contemporary everyday language, speakers typically use mitata to express the act of measuring. Mittamaan is more likely to be found in historical texts, technical writing, or some dialects where the second infinitive system is retained. In regular speech and most writing, the second infinitive form mittamaan is not the common choice.

Grammatical notes: As a non-finite (non-conjugated) form, mittamaan is used with auxiliary verbs or in subordinate constructions to convey purpose or intention, and it does not carry tense on its own. The act of measuring can also be expressed by the related noun mittaaminen, which denotes the act or process of measuring.

Related terms: mitata (the standard, present/infinitive form meaning “to measure”); mittaaminen (the noun “measuring” or “the act of measuring”); Finnish grammar (non-finite verb forms such as the second infinitive).

In summary, mittamaan is a historical and formal variant of the infinitive meaning “to measure,” largely supplanted by mitata in modern Finnish. See also mitata and mittaaminen for broader context.