suunnitelmana

Suunnitelmana is the essive case form of the Finnish noun suunnitelma, meaning plan. In Finnish grammar, the essive case, marked by the suffix -na or -nä, expresses a temporary state or role, roughly translating to “as a plan” in English. The form is used when describing a plan or planning document as a temporary function or identity rather than as a permanent attribute. The base form suunnitelma changes to suunnitelmana in the essive.

Formation and spelling: The essive suffix -na/-nä attaches directly to the noun stem. For a word like suunnitelma, the essive form becomes suunnitelmana. The transformation follows standard Finnish rules, with no unusual changes beyond the addition of the suffix.

Usage: Essive forms such as suunnitelmana are used to describe roles or states during a given period or in a particular function. They often appear in clauses with copulas like olla (to be) or in sentences that present a document or plan in the sense of its current function. The essive emphasizes a temporary or descriptive state rather than a permanent characteristic. For other kinds of meaning, Finnish can use different cases or constructions.

Examples:

- Projektin suunnitelmana toimi yksinkertainen aikataulu. (A simple timetable served as the project’s plan.)

- Hankkeen suunnitelmana voidaan pitää alustavaa budjettia. (The project plan can be regarded as an initial budget.)

See also: Finnish grammar, Essive case, Nominative, Genitive.