nostettaessa

Nostettaessa is a Finnish adverbial participle form derived from the verb nostaa (to lift). It is used to introduce a subordinate clause that describes an action occurring at the same time as, or as a condition for, the main clause. In English, it is often rendered as “when lifted,” “upon lifting,” or “while being lifted.” The form is characteristic of formal, instructional, or technical language and is less common in everyday speech.

Nostettaessa belongs to a broader class of Finnish verb forms known as adverbial participles or converbs. These forms connect clauses without a conjunction and convey information about time, condition, or manner. They are frequently found in manuals, safety instructions, legal texts, and scientific writing, where concise, neutral phrasing is preferred.

Formation and usage notes: Nostettaessa is created from the verb stem and the adverbial participle construction, yielding a clause that describes an accompanying action. Similar forms exist with other verbs, such as noudettaessa (when received/collected) or kirjoittaessa (while writing). The exact nuance—time, condition, or manner—depends on the context in which the clause is used.

Examples:

- Nostettaessa laatikkoa portaissa, pidä kiinni kahvasta. (When lifting a box on the stairs, keep a hold of the handle.)

- Nostettaessa vauva syliin, tue päätä. (When lifting the baby into your arms, support the head.)

- Nostettaessa kuormaa trukilla, noudata turvaohjeita. (When lifting a load with a forklift, follow safety instructions.)

Nostettaessa is a formal construction and can be replaced by conjunctional clauses such as kun nostetaan in casual usage, though the converb form remains common in technical writing.