tarkoittamasta

Tarkoittamasta is a Finnish non-finite verb form derived from the verb tarkoittaa, meaning to mean or to intend. It is the gerund form ending in -masta in its partitive case, and it functions as a noun-like form that refers to the act or content of intending or meaning.

In Finnish grammar, -masta/-mashä forms are used to create gerunds that behave like nouns within clauses. Tarkoittamasta can be used to indicate the act of intending something in a general sense or to refer to the content that was meant. The form is typically employed in more formal or written Finnish, including literary, philosophical, or analytical prose, and is encountered in subordinate clauses and phrases where a non-finite verb is needed.

Because the gerund can take different case endings, tarkoittamasta may appear within phrases governed by prepositions or verbs that require a partitive object. This usage allows speakers to discuss intentions, meanings, or proposed content without committing to a specific finite subject or predicate. The distinction between tarkoittamasta and related forms such as tarkoitus (intention) or tarkoittaa (to intend) centers on the non-finite, nominal-like role of tarkoittamasta in describing the act of meaning rather than a concrete action described by a finite verb.

See also: Finnish grammar, non-finite verb forms, gerunds in Finnish, the verb tarkoittaa, tarkoitus.