Määrustäiendid

Määrustäiendid are a grammatical concept in the Finnish language, often translated as "adverbial complements" or "adverbial modifiers." They function similarly to adverbs in other languages by providing additional information about a verb, adjective, or another adverb. However, in Finnish grammar, these elements are more broadly defined and can include a wider range of phrases and clauses than typically considered adverbs.

Määrustäiendid can indicate circumstances such as time, place, manner, cause, purpose, and condition. For example, a phrase indicating time like "huomenna" (tomorrow) or "eilen illalla" (yesterday evening) would be a määrustäiendid. Similarly, locational phrases such as "talossa" (in the house) or "kaupungin laidalla" (on the outskirts of the city) also fall into this category.

Manner is conveyed by phrases like "hitaasti" (slowly) or "iloisesti" (happily). Causal relationships might be expressed by phrases like "sateen vuoksi" (because of the rain). Purpose can be shown with constructions like "lukemaan kirjaa" (to read a book) when used adverbially.

The key characteristic of a määrustäiendid is its ability to modify the meaning of another element in the sentence by specifying the context or circumstances of the action or description. They are an integral part of Finnish sentence structure, enriching the information conveyed and providing a nuanced understanding of the overall message. Their grammatical function is primarily to answer questions like "where," "when," "how," "why," or "under what conditions."