määräämään

Määräämään is the third infinitive form of the Finnish verb määrätä. Määrätä means to determine, to prescribe, to appoint, or to order. The form määräämään is a non-finite verb form used in certain syntactic constructions to express purpose or to relate an action to another verb, and it is most common in formal, administrative, or legal Finnish. As a non-finite form, it does not carry person or tense by itself and cannot serve as the main predicate without an auxiliary or finite verb.

Usage and meaning. Määräämään describes an act of determining or ordering in contexts where the action is described as something to be performed or issued, such as in statutes, regulations, or official procedures. In everyday language, speakers more often use the finite forms of määrätä or the related noun forms (such as määräys) rather than the third infinitive.

Etymology and form. The form is built from the root määrätä with the suffix -mään, which marks the third infinitive in Finnish grammar. This pattern appears with several verbs to create purpose-oriented or dependent non-finite clauses.

Relation to other forms. Related words include määräys (an order or regulation), määrääjä (one who decides or determines), and the base verb määrätä. The -mään form is distinguished from the first infinitive and other non-finite forms by its specific role in linking actions and indicating intended or required activity in formal language.

See also. Finnish grammar; Finnish verbs; määrätä; määräys.