Ompelemalla

Ompelemalla is the instrumental or adverbial participle of the Finnish verb ompella (to sew). The form expresses the means or method by which an action is performed, roughly translating to “by sewing.” It is commonly used to describe how something is done, rather than who does it.

Morphology and formation: ompelemalla is created by taking the verb stem ompele- and attaching the suffix -malla, yielding the word ompelemalla. This suffix indicates instrument or means and functions similarly to other Finnish -malla/-mällä adverbial participles. The construction can be used in combination with a main clause to specify the method of an action.

Usage and nuance: The ompelemalla form is typical in descriptive or instructional writing, craft contexts, and older or more formal prose. It can appear in sentences such as “Housut korjattiin ompelemalla saumat siististi” (The trousers were repaired by sewing the seams neatly) or “Kankaasta tehtiin pussi ompelemalla palat yhteen” (The bag was made from fabric by sewing the pieces together). In everyday speech, speakers often use other expressions to convey means, but ompelemalla remains correct and clear in written Finnish.

Related forms: The concept of instrumental or means expressions in Finnish grammar encompasses other -malla/-mällä constructions with different verbs, as well as the broader category of adverbial participles. For learners, recognizing ompelemalla as “by sewing” helps in understanding procedural and descriptive texts involving sewing and crafts.