Puhuttaessaan

"Puhuttaessaan" is a Finnish word that functions as a temporal adverbial participle. It literally translates to "while speaking" or "when speaking." This form is derived from the infinitive verb "puhua," meaning "to speak." The "-essaan" ending signifies a concurrent action performed by the subject of the main clause.

In Finnish grammar, participles like "puhuttaessaan" are used to connect two related actions, where one action occurs simultaneously with or as a direct consequence of the other. It is a way to express circumstances or the manner in which an action is performed. For instance, one might say "Hän nauroi puhuttaessaan" which translates to "He laughed while speaking." In this sentence, the act of laughing happens at the same time as the act of speaking.

The use of "puhuttaessaan" helps to create more fluid and concise sentences by avoiding the need for separate subordinate clauses that might otherwise be used to express such temporal relationships. It is a common and natural construction in spoken and written Finnish. The word is invariant, meaning it does not change its form based on the case or number of the noun it refers to. Its meaning is always tied to the subject performing the action of speaking in the main sentence.