Soveltaakseen

Soveltaakseen is a Finnish verb form derived from the base verb soveltaa ("to apply", "to adapt"). It combines the verb stem with the purposive suffix -akseen/-äkseen, producing a subordinate clause that expresses purpose: roughly "in order to apply" or "so as to apply". The choice between -akseen and -äkseen follows Finnish vowel harmony.

The form commonly appears when the subject of the main clause performs an action with the intention of carrying out the verb in the subordinate clause. It is used in both written and spoken Finnish to compactly mark purpose without a separate conjunction. Example: "Hän muokkasi ohjelmaa soveltaakseen sitä uusiin tilanteisiin" — "He/she modified the program in order to apply it to new situations." Another example: "Yritys osti lisenssin soveltaakseen teknologiaa omiin tuotteisiinsa" — "The company bought the license so as to apply the technology to its own products."

Soveltaakseen is one instance of a broader class of purposive verb forms (e.g., lukeakseen, testatakseen) and is functionally similar to constructions using jotta + conditional or verbs like voidakseen. The form emphasizes intent or goal linked to the subject and is useful for concise expression of purpose in subordinate clauses.