Tarkoitettiin

Tarkoitettiin is the past passive form of the Finnish verb tarkoittaa, meaning it expresses that something was meant, intended, or designed to have a certain function or meaning. It is used to describe the intended purpose or significance of an action, object, or policy in the past, without specifying who carried out the intention. In English, it corresponds to "was meant" or "was intended."

Grammar and usage notes: Tarkoitettiin is formed from the verb stem tarkoita- with the passive past ending -ttiin in Finnish. The subject of the sentence is typically the thing or action that was intended, while the agent performing the intention is often omitted or left implicit. This form is common in formal, written, or report-like Finnish, especially in legal, technical, or administrative texts when stating the intended use or meaning of something.

Contexts and functions: It is used to convey what was meant or intended in a given situation, such as the purpose of a rule, the intended use of an object, or the interpretation of a statement after the fact. It can introduce what a decision, design, or specification was meant to accomplish.

Examples:

- Se tarkoitettiin käytettäväksi vain henkilöstölle. (It was intended to be used only by staff.)

- Sääntöä tarkoitettiin sovellettavaksi tämän tilanteen mukaan. (The rule was intended to be applied in this situation.)

See also: tarkottaa, tarkoittaa, passiivin taivutus.