Määrittelemään

Määrittelemään is the third infinitive form of the Finnish verb määritellä, which means to define, determine, or specify. As a non-finite verb form, määrittelemään does not convey tense or person by itself but is used in constructions that express intention, purpose, or dependency on another verb.

Formation and function: The third infinitive in Finnish typically ends in -mään (or -mään in this case). It is formed from the verb stem and is distinct from the first infinitive määritellä and other non-finite forms. Määrittelemään appears in contexts where a subordinate non-finite clause is required, often linked to another verb or expression that governs modality, purpose, or planning. The form is most common in more formal, technical, or written Finnish, and less frequent in everyday speech.

Meaning and usage: The core meaning relates to the act of defining or specifying boundaries, criteria, or conditions. As a non-finite form, määrittelemään can introduce actions that are to be carried out in relation to another verb or clause, serving as a verbal noun-like or supplemental element within a sentence. It is related to the noun määritelmä (definition) and to adjectival or participial derivatives such as määritelty (defined) and määriteltyä (defined as a part of a larger structure).

Notes: Finnish grammar features several non-finite verb forms, including the third infinitive. Määrittelemään remains a specialized form typically encountered in formal writing, technical texts, or advanced language use, rather than in common spoken Finnish.