infinitiivisinä

Infinitiivisinä is a Finnish grammatical term referring to the infinitive form of a verb used in a specific syntactic role. Finland has several infinitive forms, each with distinct functions. The first infinitive is the most common, often translated as "to [verb]" in English. It appears in various constructions, such as after modal verbs (e.g., "hän voi tulla" - he can come) or as a subject or object of a sentence (e.g., "lukeminen on hauskaa" - reading is fun).

The second infinitive, also known as the "ma-infinitive," is characterized by the suffix "-ma" or "-mä." It frequently denotes purpose or simultaneous action. For example, "menen kauppaan ostamaan leipää" translates to "I am going to the shop to buy bread." Another use is to indicate ongoing action, such as in "lapsi itkee nukkuessaan" – the child cries while sleeping.

Other infinitive forms exist, like the third infinitive (often ending in "-isi-") which typically expresses potential or hypothetical situations, similar to a conditional mood in other languages. The precise usage and translation of these infinitives depend heavily on the surrounding grammatical context and the specific meaning the speaker or writer intends to convey. Understanding these different infinitive forms is crucial for accurate comprehension and production of Finnish.