löytämään

Löytämään is the ma-infinitive form of the Finnish verb löytää, meaning “to find.” It is a non-finite form used mainly in clauses governed by another verb, and it can express purposes, aims, or continuing actions. In Finnish, the ma-infinitive is formed by adding the suffix -maan or -mään to the verb stem; for löytä-, the form is löytämään.

Usage and function

The ma-infinitive is not a finite verb form. It is used after certain auxiliary or modal-like verbs (for example, yrittää, pyrkiä) and in expressions that describe purpose or intended action. It also appears in noun-like phrases derived from a verb. The ma-infinitive can convey intent or planning, similar to “to find” in an infinitive clause in English, but it is less common in everyday speech than the perusinfinitiivi (löytäa) in many contexts.

Common constructions

- Yrittää löytämään: to try to find

- Pyrkiä löytämään: to strive to find

- Ilman löytämistä: without finding

These patterns show how the ma-infinitive links to auxiliary verbs or to noun-like phrases that describe aims or conditions.

Relation to other forms

Löytämään contrasts with the basic infinitive löytää (to find) and with the present participle muodossa löytäen (finding, in an adverbial sense). The finite verb forms of löytää are used for main clauses, while löytämään appears in non-finite, purpose-driven, or auxiliary constructions.

See also

Finnish grammar, infinitives, participles, verb valence and usage.