ilmaisemaan

Ilmaisemaan is the third infinitive form of the Finnish verb ilmaista, meaning to express or convey. The form is used in specific non-finite constructions rather than as a finite verb.

In Finnish grammar, the third infinitive (ending in -maan or -mään) is used to indicate purpose or intention, often in combination with verbs of motion or other verbs that describe a purposeful action. A common usage pattern is to join the third infinitive with a verb that describes an action, such as going somewhere to perform that action. For example: Hän lähti ilmaisemaan mielipiteensä, meaning “He went to express his opinion.” Here ilmaisemaan signals the purpose of the movement verb.

Ilmaisemaan can also appear in other clauses that express purpose or intention, sometimes replacing a finite clause when the overall meaning centers on the act of expressing rather than on the subject’s action alone. Because it is a non-finite form, ilmaisemaan does not carry tense by itself; the finite verb in the sentence provides the temporal information.

The form is primarily encountered in written and formal Finnish, and in spoken Finnish it appears most often in constructions that describe purposeful or goal-directed actions. It is one of several infinitive forms used to convey nuance in meaning beyond the basic, finite verb.

See also: Finnish grammar, infinitives in Finnish, verbal mood and aspect.