Valmistuttuaan

Valmistuttuaan is a Finnish adverbial participle form of the verb valmistua, meaning to become ready or to graduate. The form expresses that the action described by the participle has been completed before the action in the main clause. In English, it roughly corresponds to “after having graduated” or “having completed one’s studies.” It is commonly used to link two clauses in a single sentence and is often found in written, formal, or narrative Finnish.

The participial clause typically shares the subject with the main clause, though it may be inferred from context. Because the subject is often the same, the structure allows a compact expression of sequential events without repeating the subject. The use of valmistuttuaan can add a temporal foreground to the main clause, signaling a shift in circumstances following graduation or completion.

Examples:

- Valmistuttuaan ylioppilaaksi hän muutti Helsinkiin. (Having graduated as a high school student, he moved to Helsinki.)

- Valmistuttuaan ammattikoulusta hän sai työpaikan. (After completing vocational school, he got a job.)

- Valmistuttuaan opinnoistaan hän palasi kotikaupunkiinsa. (Having completed his studies, he returned to his hometown.)

Notes:

- The construction is relatively formal and common in writing. It can become ambiguous if the subject of the participial clause differs from the main clause, in which case a clearer sentence structure is preferable.

- Other verbs form similar adverbial participles, providing a parallel way to express “having done X” before Y.