ehdottamaan

Ehdottamaan is a Finnish verb meaning to propose or nominate someone or something for a decision, a position, an award, or a task. The form ehdottamaan is the active infinitive, used to express intention or to introduce non-finite clauses that describe proposing actions. In everyday use, ehdottamaan appears in sentences that discuss proposing ideas, plans, or candidates, often in formal contexts such as meetings or committees as well as in casual conversations about options or proposals.

Usage and context

The verb is transitive and commonly combines with people, roles, plans, or options— for example, proposing a candidate for a position or suggesting an alternative method. The related noun ehdotus refers to the proposal itself, while ehdokas means a candidate to be proposed. The form ehdottamaan frequently appears in constructions that outline intended actions, such as “Mietimme ehdottamaan uutta nimeämistapaa” (We considered proposing a new naming method) or “Hän aikoo ehdottaa kahta vaihtoehtoa” (He intends to propose two alternatives).

Grammatical notes

Ehdottaa follows regular Finnish conjugation patterns. In the present tense, forms include: minä ehdotan, sinä ehdotat, hän ehdottaa, me ehdotamme, te ehdotatte, he ehdottavat. The non-finite active infinitive used here, ehdottamaan, can appear after verbs of intention or in clauses describing purposes or plans to propose.

Etymology and related terms

The verb is built from the noun ehdotus (proposal), with the typical verb formation that yields the active infinitive ehdottamaan. Related terms include ehdotus (proposal), ehdokas (candidate), and ehdottaminen (the act of proposing or nominating).