Suojellakseen

Suojellakseen is a Finnish verb form, specifically the third infinitive active of the verb suojella, meaning to protect. As a non-finite form, it is used to express purpose or intention within a sentence and is roughly equivalent to the English "in order to protect" or simply "to protect" in a purpose clause. It appears in formal, literary, or legal contexts, where the aim of an action is stated.

Form and usage: The third infinitive active is created by attaching the ending -akseen to the verb stem. For suojella, this yields suojellakseen. The form is typically placed in subordinate clauses or after verbs of action to indicate purpose, often in combination with passive or modal constructions. Examples of its use include expressing the aim of legislation, actions, or measures.

Examples: Laki on laadittu suojellakseen työntekijöitä. (The law has been drafted to protect workers.) Hän ryhtyi toimiin suojellakseen perhettään. (He took action in order to protect his family.) These examples illustrate how suojellakseen functions to indicate the intended protective effect of an action or policy.

Notes: Suojellakseen is one of several Finnish third infinitive forms formed with the -akseen suffix, a pattern shared by verbs like auttaakseen or kirjoittakseen in similar purpose clauses. While common in formal writing and official language, the form is less frequent in casual spoken Finnish, where simpler periphrastic constructions or nouns expressing purpose may be preferred. In summary, suojellakseen is a purpose-oriented, non-finite verb form tied to the idea of protecting within a described action.