nonfinitelauseelle

Nonfinitelauseelle refers to a grammatical structure found in certain languages, particularly in some varieties of Finnish and related Uralic languages. The term combines "nonfinite" (referring to verb forms without subject agreement or tense distinctions) and "lauseelle" (Finnish for "to the sentence"), indicating that these verb forms function as integral parts of sentence constructions without being fully conjugated.

In Finnish, nonfinite verb forms include the infinitive, gerund, and participle. These forms lack personal endings and do not express tense or mood directly. Instead, they serve as complements or adjuncts in clauses, often linked to finite verbs or nouns. For example, the infinitive can function as the object of a verb (e.g., "minä haluan syödä" – "I want to eat"), while the gerund (suffixed with *-massa*) describes ongoing actions (e.g., "puhumassa" – "speaking").

Nonfinite constructions are common in complex sentences, where they modify or extend the meaning of finite verbs. They also appear in passive constructions, adverbial phrases, or as nominalized verbs. Unlike finite verbs, nonfinite forms do not agree with subjects and remain invariant regardless of person or number.

This grammatical feature distinguishes Uralic languages from many Indo-European languages, where verb conjugation is more rigidly tied to tense, mood, and subject agreement. Nonfinite verb forms contribute to the flexibility and nuance of sentence structure in Finnish and related languages.