säästääkseen

Säästääkseen is a Finnish verb form derived from säästää, meaning to save or to economize. It is the kolmas infinitiivi (third infinitive) and its primary function is to express purpose, roughly equivalent to the English "in order to save." The form is most common in formal or written Finnish, including instructional texts and literary prose.

The kolmas infinitivi is created by attaching a special suffix to the verb stem, yielding forms like säästääkseen. The spelling follows vowel harmony and consonant adjustments typical for the form. It is distinct from the present participle säästäen, which means "while saving" and describes ongoing action rather than purpose. By itself, the kolmas infinitivi does not convey tense; its role is to indicate the aim of the action described by the main verb.

In use, säästääkseen appears to denote the reason or goal of an action. For example: Hän säästää rahaa säästääkseen tulevaisuutta varten. Another example: Ota pienempi reppu säästääkseen aikaa matkalla. The construction is more common in formal language and can sound literary in everyday speech.

Notes for learners: compare säästääkseen with other infinitive forms and with jíotta or jotta for expressing purpose in other styles. The kolmas infinitiivi provides a concise way to articulate intention without repeating a verb, adding nuance to the sentence without altering the subject.