rikkoutumasta

Rikkoutumasta is a Finnish linguistic term referring to the ma-infinitive form of the verb rikoutua, used to express breakage as a process or potential outcome. The form is created with the suffix -masta (or -mästä) and functions as a non-finite infinitival clause embedded in larger sentences. In practice, rikkoutumasta appears most often in technical, safety, and maintenance texts where the focus is on preventing damage or describing conditions that may lead to breakage.

Syntactically, rikkoutumasta can serve as an object or a complement to a main verb, or as a modifier within a clause, depending on the construction. Its meaning is tied to the concept of breakage of a component, material, or structure, rather than to deliberate action. The form is commonly found in phrases that discuss prevention, risk assessment, or quality control, with verbs and expressions that convey obligation, caution, or mitigation.

In linguistic references, rikkoutumasta is cited as an instance of the Finnish ma-infinitive used to link subordinate infinitival clauses to main predicates. The expression is part of a broader system of Finnish infinitives and non-finite clauses, which includes related forms such as rikoutua and rikkominen. See also rikoutua, rikkominen, Finnish infinitives.