huuhtomalla

Huuhtomalla is a Finnish grammatical term referring to a verbal adverbial participle formed with the suffix -malla. It is derived from the verb huuhdella or huuhtoa, both meaning to rinse or wash with water. The form expresses means or accompanying action, roughly translating to "by rinsing" or "while rinsing" in English. It functions as a non-finite clause that can modify the main verb without adding a new finite verb.

In use, huuhtomalla describes how an action is performed. It is common in instructional, procedural, or descriptive texts such as recipes, cleaning guides, and laboratory or workshop procedures. The form stays invariant with respect to person and tense, and it can begin a sentence or appear within a sentence to indicate method. It can be combined with other elements to specify the object of rinsing or the context of the action.

Grammatical notes: the -malla form is part of a broader set of Finnish -malla/-mällä participles that convey means or manner. Huuhtomalla does not conjugate for subject or tense; its role is to provide a non-finite, supplementary action that accompanies the main clause. It is typically separated by a comma when used at the beginning of a sentence, as in instructional writing.

Example (illustrative): Huuhtomalla astiat kunnolla, varmistat että niistä ei jää jälkiä. This sentence demonstrates how the form conveys the method by which the main action is achieved.