puhdistettavaa

Puhdistettavaa is a Finnish noun-form that refers to items, tasks, or material that needs cleaning. It is derived from the verb puhdistaa (to clean) and the present active participle puhdistettava, meaning “to be cleaned” or “to-be-cleaned.” The form puhdistettavaa is the partitive singular of that participle and is used when the thing being described is indefinite or not fully specified.

Grammatically, puhdistettavaa functions as a noun phrase in the partitive case. Related forms include puhdistettava (nominative singular, “the to-be-cleaned thing”), puhdistettavan (genitive singular, “of the to-be-cleaned thing”), puhdistettavat (nominative plural, “the to-be-cleaned things”), and puhdistettavia (partitive plural, “to-be-cleaned things”). In everyday language, puhdistettavaa often appears in contexts such as lists, tasks, and explanations of cleaning work.

Usage notes emphasize that puhdistettavaa expresses the notion of tasks or items that require cleaning without specifying exact details. In everyday speech, speakers more commonly use synonyms like siivottavaa or siivottavaa varten, depending on the context. Puhdistettavaa is especially common in grammar explanations and checklists where the focus is on the concept of “things to be cleaned” rather than on concrete items.

Examples:

- Meillä on paljon puhdistettavaa. (We have a lot to clean.)

- Tässä on puhdistettavaa. (There is something to be cleaned here.)

See also: puhdistaminen (cleaning), puhdistettava (to-be-cleaned, participial adjective).