Terävöittämällä

Terävöittämällä is a Finnish verb meaning "by sharpening" or "through sharpening." It is the third infinitive of the verb terävöittää, which means to sharpen, to make sharper, or to intensify. The suffix -mällä indicates the adessive case of the third infinitive, often translating to "by doing X" or "in the process of doing X."

This form is used to describe the means or method by which something is achieved. For instance, one might say "kuvan terävöittämällä saat sen näyttämään paremmalta," which translates to "by sharpening the image, you can make it look better." Here, "terävöittämällä" clearly denotes the action that leads to the improved appearance of the image.

The concept can be applied to both physical and abstract situations. Physically, it refers to making an edge or point keener, such as sharpening a knife or a pencil. Abstractly, it can mean to clarify, refine, or strengthen an idea, argument, or plan. For example, "hän kehitti suunnitelmaa terävöittämällä sen yksityiskohtia" means "he developed the plan by sharpening its details." In this context, "terävöittämällä" signifies the refinement and elaboration of the plan's specifics. Understanding this grammatical form allows for a more nuanced expression of how actions lead to outcomes in Finnish.