Ohjattaessa

Ohjattaessa is a Finnish grammatical form that functions as a passive adverbial participle of the verb ohjata, meaning to guide, direct or steer. It expresses a circumstance or time frame under which another action takes place, and is often translated into English as “while being guided” or “in the course of being steered.” The form is typically used to set the context for a main clause without naming the agent performing the action.

Formation and use: Ohjattaessa is formed from the passive participle stem of ohjata combined with the adverbial ending -essa, producing a non-finite clause. It is used to create subordinate clauses that describe background conditions or simultaneous actions. The subject of the main clause is not explicitly tied to the agent of ohjata, which is common in passive constructions. The form is more frequent in written Finnish, especially in technical, procedural, or legal texts, and is less common in everyday speech.

Examples:

- Ohjattaessa konetta on noudatettava käyttöturvallisuusohjeita. (While the machine is being operated, safety instructions must be followed.)

- Ohjattaessa autoa on kiinnitettävä turvavyöt. (When the car is being steered, seat belts must be fastened.)

Notes: Ohjattaessa has parallel forms in other verb classes and moods, including corresponding active forms or other participial constructions. Its use tends to be restrained to contexts where a passive, formal tone is appropriate, such as manuals, standards, or regulatory text.