Infinitiivi (Infinitive)
In Finnish, the infinitive is a non-finite verb form that does not show person or number. Finnish has five infinitives, each used in different grammatical contexts to express actions without fixing tense or subject. Infinitives can be active or passive, and sometimes have case endings.
Mood:
The infinitive is non-finite, so it has no mood, tense, or person by itself. It functions as a verb noun and often appears with auxiliary verbs, postpositions, or other verbs.
Infinitiivi I – Basic Infinitive
Function: Dictionary form, citation form, and used after modal or auxiliary verbs.
- Ending: -a/-ä (vowel harmony)
- Active example: puhua (to speak)
- Passive example: puhuttava (to be spoken)
Usage examples:
- Haluan syödä. (I want to eat.)
- Osaan uida. (I can swim.)
Infinitiivi II – Inessive (-essa/-essä) & Instructive (-en)
Function: Expresses simultaneous action (while doing something) or manner of doing something.
- Inessive active: stem + -essa/-essä → puhuessa (while speaking)
- Inessive passive: passive stem + -ttaessa/-ttäessä → puhuttaessa (when being spoken)
- Instructive active: stem + -en → nauraen (laughing / with laughter)
Usage examples:
- Hän hymyili puhuessaan. (He smiled while speaking.)
- Syöden ei saa puhua. (One should not speak while eating.)
Infinitiivi III – Illative, Inessive, Adessive forms
Function: Often used with postpositions to indicate purpose or means.
- Illative active: stem + -maan/-mään → puhumaan (to go speak)
- Inessive active: stem + -massa/-mässä → puhumassa (in the act of speaking)
- Adessive active: stem + -malla/-mällä → puhumalla (by speaking)
Usage examples:
- Menen syömään. (I’m going to eat.)
- Olen lukemassa kirjastossa. (I’m reading in the library.)
- Opin suomea katsomalla elokuvia. (I learn Finnish by watching movies.)
Infinitiivi IV – Noun-like form (-minen)
Function: Turns the verb into a noun meaning “the act of doing …”
- Form: verb stem + -minen → puhuminen (speaking, the act of speaking)
Usage examples:
- Uiminen on hauskaa. (Swimming is fun.)
- Pidän lukemisesta. (I like reading.)
Infinitiivi V – Rare, literary form (-maisillaan)
Function: Indicates that an action is about to happen. Rare in spoken Finnish.
- Form: stem + -maisillaan/-mäisillään (vowel harmony)
- Possessive suffix marks the person.
Usage examples:
- Olin nukahtamaisillani. (I was about to fall asleep.)
- Hän on lähdössämaisillaan. (He’s about to leave.)
Summary Table:
| Infinitive | Ending Examples | Common Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I | -a/-ä | to do / dictionary form |
| II | -essa/-essä, -en | while doing / by doing |
| III | -maan/-mään, -massa/-mässä, -malla/-mällä | to go do / in the act of doing / by doing |
| IV | -minen | the act of doing |
| V | -maisillaan/-mäisillään | about to do (rare) |
Notes:
- Vowel harmony affects all endings.
- Many infinitive forms can be made passive.
- Infinitives are key in building more complex verb phrases and nominal forms.
