tavoittelemassa

Tavoittelemassa is a Finnish present active participle form of the verb tavoitella, meaning to pursue or to strive for. The form expresses ongoing action or state, typically translated into English as "pursuing" or "in pursuit of." It is used to describe someone who is currently engaged in pursuing a goal, often with the auxiliary olla (to be) in clauses such as "on tavoittelemassa" (is pursuing).

Morphologically, tavoittelemassa is built from the verb stem tavoittelem- combined with the participle suffix -massa/-mässä, which marks the present active participle with a sense of being in the act of doing something. The resulting form can function as a verbal adjective or as part of a predicate with olla, and it can also modify a noun in complex constructions, though in practice it most commonly appears in clauses describing ongoing striving.

Usage and nuance: tavoittelemassa conveys deliberate and sustained effort toward a goal, rather than a finished achievement. It can refer to personal aims, organizational objectives, or competitive pursuits. The related noun tavoite (goal) and the verb tavoitella share the same semantic field, with tavoittelemassa emphasizing the process of seeking.

Examples:

- Hän on tavoittelemassa unelmaansa. (He is pursuing his dream.)

- Yritys on tavoittelemassa uutta markkina-aluetta. (The company is pursuing a new market area.)

Etymology: the form derives from tavoitella, which is related to the noun tavoite (goal, target). The presence of the -massa/-mässä participle suffix signals the ongoing, active nature of the action described.

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