iinfinitiiviin

iinfinitiiviin is a Finnish term that refers to the inessive case of the infinitive form of a verb. The inessive case in Finnish expresses a state of being within something. When applied to the infinitive, it creates a construction that often translates to "in doing something," "while doing something," or "by doing something." This grammatical form is particularly useful for describing concurrent actions or the means by which an action is performed.

For example, the verb "juosta" means "to run." Its inessive infinitive is "juostessaan." If used in a sentence like "Hän käveli puutarhassa juostessaan," it translates to "He walked in the garden while running," indicating simultaneous actions. Alternatively, "Hän oppi kielen kuuntelemalla" uses the inessive infinitive "kuuntelemalla" (from "kuunnella" - to listen) to mean "He learned the language by listening." This demonstrates how the iinfinitiiviin can express the method or process through which something is achieved.

The formation of the iinfinitiiviin typically involves adding the suffix "-ssaan" or "-seen" to the verb stem, depending on the verb's vowel harmony and final consonant. This grammatical feature is a distinct characteristic of Finnish morphology and adds nuance to verbal expressions. It allows for a more concise and idiomatic way to convey complex ideas involving action and circumstance.