rakentama

Rakentama is a Finnish term formed from the verb rakentaa, meaning to build, with the nominalizing suffix -ma. In Finnish grammar, rakentama functions as a relative participle–like adjective that marks something as having been built, often indicating the builder indirectly. It is typically used attributively before a noun, for example: kaupungin rakentama tie (a road built by the city) or rakentama rakennus (a building that has been built).

The form is not usually used predicatively; to say that something is built, Finnish commonly uses rakennettu or a relative clause such as joka on rakennettu. The -ma suffix allows speakers to create concise, descriptive phrases that emphasize the construction without naming the builder.

Usage and nuance: rakentama emphasizes the act of construction and the agent behind it, in contrast to the result-focused rakennettu, which highlights that the object has been constructed. The phrase is common in architectural, civil engineering, and descriptive writing and can appear in both everyday and formal contexts.

Morphology and examples: as an attributive participle, rakennama agrees with the noun it modifies. It can form phrases such as kaupungin rakentama tie or rakennus, jonka rakentama arkkitehti suunnitteli. It can be extended with possessive or case endings in natural Finnish sentences, for example: kaupungin rakentaman tien varrella (beside the road built by the city).

See also: rakennaa, rakennettu, rakennus, rakentaja, Finnish grammar.