Valmistellen

Valmistellen is a Finnish verbal form that functions as an adverbial participle derived from the verb valmistella, meaning to prepare or to make ready. The form is used to express the manner, circumstance, or simultaneous action in which another verb occurs, roughly corresponding to the English expression by preparing or in preparing.

In use, valmistellen appears to describe how an action is carried out or to connect related clauses. It often introduces a participial phrase that sets the context for the main clause. For example, in a sentence like Valmistellen ateriaa, hän laittoi pöydän valmiiksi, the phrase valmistellen ateriaa indicates the preparatory context for the main action of setting the table. The construction is more common in written Finnish, including procedural texts, descriptive narration, or formal writing, and may sound archaic or overly formal in everyday speech.

The noun form valmistelemis, or its related noun valmistelu, denotes the act or process of preparation, providing a base for related expressions. The verb muodosta valmistella governs the meaning, while valmistellen represents a non-finite form used to attribute manner or simultaneity to a clause without creating a separate finite verb.

Etymology and grammar: valmistellen combines the verb stem valmistell- with the finite-like participial ending -en to produce an adverbial participle. This fits within Finnish non-finite verb forms that describe how or under what conditions actions occur. The -llen-type participles express manner, accompaniment, or sequential context and are part of standard Finnish grammar, though their use is often reserved for more formal or literary styles.

See also: valmistelu, valmistella, Finnish grammar, participles.