Palauttaen

Palauttaen is a Finnish adverbial participle formed from the verb palauttaa, meaning to return or to restore. It functions as a non-finite verb form that describes the manner or attendant circumstances of the action in the main clause, and can be translated as “returning” or “by returning.” It is commonly used in written and formal Finnish to compress information into a single sentence.

Morphology and usage: The present adverbial participle of palauttaa takes the suffix -en, yielding palauttaen. It is used with an implied subject that is the same as the subject of the main clause. Unlike finite verbs, palauttaen does not change for person or number. It often appears at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence and is frequently set off by a comma, especially when the participial clause adds non-essential information or clarifies context. In everyday spoken Finnish, speakers might prefer a subordinate clause with kun or ennen, rather than the adverbial participle construction.

Etymology and related forms: Palauttaen derives from palauttaa and the adverbial participle suffix -en, a pattern shared with other verbs to express concurrent or accompanying action. The noun form referring to the act is palauttaminen (the act of returning).

Examples:

- Palauttaen kirjan takaisin laillaan, hän kiitti. Translation: Returning the book to the library, he thanked.

- Hän lähti, palauttaen avaimen vastaanottoon. Translation: He left, returning the key to the reception.

See also: Finnish grammar, present adverbial participles, participles in Finnish, palauttaa (to return), palauttaminen (the act of returning).