Soveltaessa

Soveltaessa is the present adverbial participle form of the Finnish verb soveltaa, meaning to apply or to implement. The form functions to express the circumstance under which the action of the main clause takes place, and it is commonly translated into English as “when applying,” “in applying,” or “upon applying.”

In usage, soveltaessa appears in formal or written Finnish, such as normative texts, guidelines, and academic writing. It introduces a subordinate circumstance without an explicit subject, similar to other adverbial participles. The construction helps link conditions, methods, or principles to the main statement. It is typically separated from the main clause by punctuation (often a comma) and remains non-finite, not changing for person or number.

Grammatically, soveltaessa is an invariable participle form and cannot serve as the finite verb. It reflects ongoing or general application of a rule or principle rather than a single completed action. Its use is most common when outlining procedures, constraints, or evaluative criteria in a concise, formal style.

Related forms include soveltaa (to apply), soveltaminen (application), sovellettava (applicable), and sovellettavuus (applicability). While soveltaessa conveys a conditional or circumstantial sense, other participial forms, such as sovellettu (applied) or soveltuva (suitable/applicable), express different aspects of applying or being applicable in Finnish.

Examples:

- Soveltaessa tätä ohjetta, varmistetaan, että tiedot ovat oikeat. (When applying this guideline, it is ensured that the information is correct.)

- Soveltaessa tätä mittaria, tulokset ovat vertailukelpoisia. (When applying this metric, the results are comparable.)