etsiäkseen

Etsiäkseen is a non-finite verb form in Finnish that comes from the verb etsiä (to seek or to look for). It functions as an infinitive of purpose, meaning “in order to seek” or “to seek,” and is used to express the aim or motive of an action in a sentence.

Formation and meaning: The form is created by attaching the purposive suffix -kse- to the short infinitive and adding the appropriate ending, producing etsiäkseen. This construction encodes that the action of the main clause is undertaken for the purpose of performing the action in the infinitive. It is typical for many verbs, not only etsiä, to form a purpose-infinitive in this way (for example, hakeakseen, opiskellakseen).

Usage: Etsiäkseen appears in clauses that specify why an action is taken. For example: Hän lähti etsiäkseen työtä. (He left in order to look for work.) The subject of the infinitive is usually the same as the subject of the main clause, and the form is common in written Finnish, as well as in more formal or literary styles.

Related forms and alternatives: The purposive infinitive can be formed with various verbs to express similar meaning, such as hakeakseen (in order to seek), tutustuakseen (to become acquainted, for the purpose of becoming acquainted), or other verbs with the same -kse- pattern. In everyday speech, speakers often use simpler expressions to convey purpose, such as “etsimään” or other periphrastic constructions, depending on context.

In summary, etsiäkseen is the Finnish purposive infinitive form of etsiä, used to indicate that the action of seeking is undertaken for a particular purpose.