opiskelemaan

Opiskelemaan is the non-finite form of the Finnish verb opiskella, meaning to study. It functions as the infinitive of purpose, used to express the goal or destination of another action, typically movement or intention. In practice, opiskelemaan describes going to study or starting to study, rather than a completed or finite act.

Formation and grammar: The form is created by adding the suffix -maan (or -mään in some stem types) to the verb stem. For opiskella, the resulting form is opiskelemaan. This is not a finite verb and does not carry tense by itself; it specifies purpose or direction in relation to another action, such as a verb of motion.

Common usage: The phrase is frequently found after verbs of movement or intention, for example with mennä (to go), lähteä (to start), or tulla (to come). Examples include: Mennään opiskelemaan ulkomaille. (Let’s go to study abroad.) Hän meni opiskelemaan yliopistoon. (He went to study at/through the university.) Aion lähteä opiskelemaan. (I intend to go study.)

Notes on meaning: opiskelemaan emphasizes the activity of studying as the goal, rather than merely being a study activity in a general sense. It is often contrasted with opiskella in its plain, finite form, which denotes the act of studying itself without the purpose marker.

Related terms: The base verb is opiskella (to study); related nouns include opiskelu (studying, study). The form is part of a broader set of Finnish infinitives used to express purpose, destination, or intention.