vapauttaessaan

The Finnish word "vapauttaessaan" is the translative case of the possessive form of the third infinitive of the verb "vapauttaa." This verb means "to free," "to liberate," or "to release." Therefore, "vapauttaessaan" can be translated as "while freeing," "upon freeing," "when freeing," or "in the act of freeing" something or someone.

The structure of "vapauttaessaan" involves several grammatical components. "Vapauttaa" is the base verb. The "-essaan" ending signifies the third infinitive, which is used to express an action that happens concurrently with or immediately after another action. The "-an" at the very end is the possessive suffix, indicating that the subject performing the freeing action is the same as the subject of the main clause. This grammatical construction is common in Finnish for describing simultaneous or sequential actions performed by the same entity.

For example, in a sentence like "Hän tunsi helpotusta vapauttaessaan kissan häkistä," "vapauttaessaan" translates to "upon freeing" or "when freeing." The sentence would mean "He felt relief upon freeing the cat from the cage." The subject "Hän" (He) is both feeling relief and performing the action of freeing. The use of this form avoids the need for a separate subordinate clause, making the Finnish sentence more concise.