käyttäessämme

Käyttäessämme is a Finnish word that functions as a temporal conjunction, indicating an action happening simultaneously or during the performance of another. It is derived from the verb "käyttää," meaning "to use" or "to employ," and the possessive suffix "-mme," signifying "our." Therefore, "käyttäessämme" literally translates to "when we are using" or "in our using."

This form is commonly encountered in sentences where the speaker or writer wishes to describe a situation or event that occurs while they are engaged in a particular activity. For instance, one might say "Käyttäessämme tietokonetta, sähkökatkos tapahtui," which translates to "When we were using the computer, a power outage occurred." The structure emphasizes the duration of the action of using the computer as the backdrop for the power outage.

Grammatically, "käyttäessämme" is an inessive case form of the temporal participle of "käyttää." This grammatical construction is characteristic of Finnish language, allowing for concise expression of complex temporal relationships. It is important to note that the subject of the action expressed by "käyttäessämme" is explicitly "we" due to the "-mme" ending. Other possessive suffixes would alter the subject accordingly, for example, "käyttäessäsi" for "when you are using" (singular informal) or "käyttäessään" for "when he/she/they are using." Understanding this form is key to comprehending nuanced temporal descriptions in Finnish.