kuivaksi

Kuivaksi is a Finnish word formed as the translative form of the adjective kuivaa/kuiva, meaning dry. In Finnish grammar, the suffix -ksi expresses a change of state or transformation, and is commonly used with verbs such as tulla (to become) or muuttua (to change). Therefore kuivaksi denotes becoming dry or being made dry as a resulting state.

Etymology and grammatical function: Kuiva means dry, and the translative case marked by -ksi indicates a transition into that state. The construction is often used in sentences that describe a process or an anticipated final condition, for example when something is in the process of drying or has been made dry by an action.

Usage and examples: In everyday Finnish, kuivaksi typically appears with verbs of change. Examples include: Paita kastui, mutta pesun jälkeen se tuli kuivaksi. (The shirt got wet, but after washing it became dry.) Pyykki muuttui kuivaksi pesun jälkeen. (The laundry became dry after the wash.) It can also appear in imperative form to express making something dry, as in Tee tästä kuivaksi. Such uses emphasize the transition to the dry state rather than the ongoing act of drying.

Related terms: The noun for the state or process of drying is kuivatus, and the noun for dryness in general is kuivuus. Related verbs include kuivata (to dry something) and kuivattaa (to dry out, to dry thoroughly). Kuivaksi is one of several forms derived from the root kuiv- that describe moisture, dryness, and related changes.