Tuntemalla

Tuntemalla is the Finnish adverbial participle formed from the verb tuntea (to know or feel). It expresses means or method and is used to say “by knowing” or “through knowing.” The form is created by taking the infinitive stem of tuntea and adding the suffix -malla/-mällä, yielding tuntemalla. Like other instrumental participles in Finnish, tuntemalla is a non-finite verb form and generally shares the subject with the main clause.

Grammatically, tuntemalla functions as an adverbial participle that indicates how an action is performed. It is common in formal or instructional Finnish and often appears in written texts, manuals, and explanations where the means or method matters. The subject of the main clause is typically the same as the subject implied by the participle.

Usage notes: tuntemalla can be translated into English as “by knowing” or “through knowing.” It can be used to state that knowledge or familiarity with something enables an outcome. Examples include:

- Tuntemalla tämän reitin säästät aikaa. (By knowing this route you save time.)

- Laitteiston toiminnan tuntemalla voit välttää virheitä. (By knowing how the equipment works, you can avoid mistakes.)

- Tuntemalla säännöt, hallitset tilanteen paremmin. (By knowing the rules, you control the situation better.)

Similar forms include other -malla/-mällä constructions such as tekemällä (by doing), katsomalla (by looking). Tuntemalla is one of several Finnish instrumental participles used to convey manner or means.