palautuessaan

Palautuessaan is a non-finite verb form derived from the Finnish verb palautua, meaning to return, to recover, or to be restored. In Finnish grammar, palautuessaan functions as an adverbial present participle that introduces a subordinate clause describing a time-related condition or circumstance in relation to the main clause. In translation, it is commonly rendered as “upon returning” or “upon recovering.”

Form and agreement: The form is built from the verb stem palautu- with the adverbial participle suffix -essaan, and it agrees with the subject of the clause (the person or thing performing the returning or recovering). The construction is mostly found in written Finnish and in literary or formal registers; it is less common in everyday speech.

Usage and nuance: Palautuessaan gives a sense of a preceding state or background that affects the main action. It conveys that the action in the main clause occurs after or in the context of the prior returning or recovery. The exact temporal relation depends on context and accompanying punctuation in the sentence.

Example: Palautuessaan sairaudestaan, hän palasi töihin. This illustrates how the participle clause sets the backdrop of the main action described in the main clause.