hävittääkseen

hävittääkseen is the third-person singular translative form of the Finnish verb "hävittää." The verb "hävittää" means to destroy, annihilate, exterminate, or eliminate. Therefore, "hävittääkseen" translates to "in order to destroy," "so as to annihilate," or "for the purpose of eliminating."

This grammatical form is used to express the purpose or intention behind an action. For example, a sentence might read, "Hän keräsi myrkkyä hävittääkseen tuholaiset" which translates to "He collected poison in order to eliminate the pests." The ending "-kseen" indicates a subordinate clause where the subject of the main verb and the implied subject of the infinitive clause are the same.

The concept of "hävittääkseen" is central to understanding Finnish grammar, particularly the use of purposive clauses. It highlights how the Finnish language uses verb conjugations and specific suffixes to convey complex meanings and relationships between actions. The translative case, in general, signifies a change of state or purpose, and when applied to the infinitive form of a verb like "hävittää," it clearly articulates the goal of destruction or elimination. This grammatical structure allows for concise expression of intent within a sentence.