aloittaessa

Aloittaessa is a Finnish adverbial participle form of the verb aloittaa, meaning “when starting” or “upon starting.” It is used to introduce a subordinate clause that indicates the time or condition under which the main action takes place. The form is common in formal and instructional Finnish, such as manuals, procedures, and academic writing, where precise sequencing of actions is important.

grammatical role and usage

- It is a non-finite present participle and does not convey person or tense. The clause it introduces is typically time-based, describing what happens as or after the starting action occurs.

- The subject of the subordinate clause is often the same as the subject of the main clause, though this is not mandatory. The expression can describe concurrent or subsequent actions relative to the main clause.

- It can be combined with various nouns in genitive or partitive to specify what is being started (for example, ohjelman asennusta, kokeilun).

Examples

- Aloittaessa kokeilun, varmista riittävä ilmanvaihto. (When starting the experiment, ensure adequate ventilation.)

- Aloittaessa ohjelman asennusta, valitse kieli. (Upon starting the installation of the program, choose the language.)

Related forms and notes

- A closely related participle is aloittaen, which can convey manner or approach, though aloittaessa is the more common form for time-based clauses in formal texts.

- In everyday speech, speakers may prefer conjunctions such as kun or kun aloitettaessa to express similar ideas.

Overall, aloittaessa is a specialized but regularly used tool in Finnish for linking actions in procedural and descriptive writing, signaling that one action occurs at the moment of or during the start of another.

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