nonfiniittisen

Nonfiniittisen is a Finnish adjective that translates to "non-finite" in English. It is primarily used in grammatical contexts to describe verb forms that do not indicate a specific person, number, or tense. These are often referred to as non-finite verbs.

In Finnish grammar, non-finite verb forms include participles and infinitives. Participles, such as the active present participle ("lukeva" - reading) and the passive past participle ("luettu" - read), can function as adjectives or adverbs, modifying nouns or verbs. Infinitives, like the first infinitive ("lukea" - to read) and the third infinitive ("lukemaan" - to read, often indicating purpose), are also non-finite verb forms.

Unlike finite verbs, which must agree with the subject in person and number and convey a specific tense (e.g., "minä luen" - I read), non-finite verbs are more flexible. They do not change form based on the subject and can be used in a wider range of sentence structures. For example, a participle can be used to form a complex sentence where a finite verb might be required in other languages.

The concept of non-finite verb forms is crucial for understanding Finnish sentence construction and the nuances of its verb system. The absence of person and number agreement in these forms distinguishes them from their finite counterparts and allows for more concise and idiomatic expression.