osoittamaan

Osoittamaan is the to-infinitive form of the Finnish verb osoittaa, meaning to show, indicate, or point out. It is not the dictionary form; the basic infinitive is osoittaa. Osoittamaan is formed by adding the suffix -maan to the stem osoitta-, creating the ma-infinitive, a non-finite form used in various subordinate or purposive constructions.

Usage and function: The ma-infinitive is used in non-finite clauses and in expressions where the action is described as an activity, purpose, or means rather than as a main clause predicate. It often appears in formal or instructional contexts. For example, in phrases such as "Ohjeena on osoittamaan reitin kartalla" (The instruction is to indicate the route on the map) or "Tavoitteena on osoittamaan, miten järjestelmä toimii" (The aim is to show how the system works). In such cases, osoittamaan functions as the content of the instruction or objective, not as a finite verb.

Related forms: The dictionary form of the verb is osoittaa. Related non-finite forms include the other infinitives and the noun derived from the verb, such as osoittaminen (the act of showing). The verb also participates in standard Finnish conjugation when used in finite tenses and moods in its base form osoittaa (e.g., osoittaa, osoitti, osoittanut).

See also: osoittaa, ma-infinitive, Finnish grammar, non-finite verb forms.