Muokkaavaksi

Muokkaavaksi is a Finnish grammatical form that functions as the translative form of the present active participle muokkaava, which comes from the verb muokata meaning to modify or edit. The translative mood, marked by the suffix -ksi, expresses a change of state or transformation into the described condition. Therefore muokkaavaksi literally denotes “into a state of editing/modifying.”

Morphology and formation: The base muokkaava combines with the translative suffix -ksi to form muokkaavaksi. This is a regular pattern for adjectives or participles that end in -ava/-äva when a translative ending is added. The resulting form preserves the meaning of a transition into the described state, rather than a static quality.

Usage and register: muokkaavaksi is relatively rare in everyday Finnish. It appears primarily in linguistic descriptions, grammars, or language-learning materials that illustrate the translative construction with participles. In common usage, speakers more often employ muokattavaksi (the translative form of the passive participle muokattava) or simpler phrases to express editability or the potential to be edited.

Examples of function: The form can appear in predicative constructions to describe a change of state, such as a document or interface becoming in a state of editing. It may also be used in technical or descriptive texts to demonstrate grammatical patterns, rather than as a frequently occurring everyday expression. For practical purposes, muokattavaksi is typically preferred to convey “editable” or “to be edited.”

Related forms: muokkaava (present active participle “modifying/editing”), muokattava (present passive participle “editable”). The translative -ksi attaches to these bases to indicate change into that state.

Etymology: Derived from muokata + -ava, with the translative suffix -ksi to yield muokkaavaksi.