Nominaalimuoto

Nominaalimuoto, in Finnish linguistics, refers to non-finite forms of verbs that do not express a specific subject, person, or time, and that can function as nouns, adjectives, or noun-like modifiers in sentences. These forms stand in contrast to finite verb forms, which carry information about subject, tense, mood, and aspect. Nominaalimuodot enable speakers to name actions, describe states, or nominalize processes without committing to a particular subject or tense.

The main categories of nominaalimuotoja are infinitiivi (infinitive), partisiippimuodot (participles), and nominalisoinnit (verbal nouns). The infinitive is the base verb form used to name an action, and it can appear in clauses where the action is discussed in general terms, such as “on mukavaa lukea” (it is pleasant to read). Participles include forms like the present active participle, formed with the suffix -va/-vä, and the past passive participle, typically formed with -ttu/-tty or related patterns; these participles can function as adjectives or, in some contexts, as nouns. Nominalisations produced with suffixes such as -minen yield words like “lukeminen” (reading), which behave as nouns and can serve as subjects or objects: “Lukeminen parantaa sanavarastoa.”

Nominaalimuotot are versatile in Finnish syntax, allowing actions or states to be referenced without a finite clause. They can participate in attributive positions, act as the subject or object of a sentence, or form part of larger non-finite constructions. Terminology and the exact inventory of nominaalimuotoja can vary among grammars, but the common idea is that these are non-finite verb forms that take on noun-like roles in sentence structure.