Appendix:Finnish non-finite clauses

Finnish has different kinds of non-finite clauses, called lauseenvastike. These are defined as a structure where a nonfinite verb form is used without a grammatical predicate in lieu of a clause. As the etymology of the word suggests (lauseen (“of clause”) + vastike (“substitute”)), a non-finite clause may be replaced with a subordinate clause. Instead of a predicate, a non-finite clause contains an infinitive or participial form of a verb.

The English translations of non-finite clauses usually involve participial phrases, sometimes constructions. On the other hand, not every English participial phrase may be translated into Finnish with a non-finite clause; rather, a subordinate clause should be used.

In written texts, non-finite clauses are not separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma (unlike the corresponding subordinate clause, which almost always is). Using a comma for this purpose is considered an error.

In colloquial Finnish, non-finite structures are seldom used, and the same idea is instead expressed with a subordinate clause.

In the examples below, the brackets show the equivalent sentence using a subordinate clause.

Referative construction

Referative constructions (referatiivirakenne) are used to express things which are reported, communicated or established based on information received. They come in two forms: the present and past referative constructions.

Both forms of the referative construction use genitive forms of participles. In the present referative construction, genitives of the present active or passive participles are used, while in the past referative construction, genitives of the past active or passive participles are used.

Other names for the present referative construction include the '-vAn referative construction' and the 'tekevän construction'. Other names for the past referative construction include the '-neen referative construction' and the 'tehneen construction'.

The corresponding subordinate clause uses the conjunction että.

Examples of present referative constructions:

Hänellä vaikuttaa olevan kiire.
[= Vaikuttaa, että hänellä on kiire.]

It appears he/she is busy.

Kuulin hänen tulevan tänne.
[= Kuulin, että hän tulee tänne.]

I heard him/her coming here.

Luulen matkustavani ulkomaille toukokuussa.
[= Luulen, että matkustan ulkomaille toukokuussa.]

I think I will travel abroad this May.

Luulen tästä puhuttavan vielä.
[= Luulen, että tästä puhutaan vielä.]

I think this will be talked about one day.

Ulkona näyttää satavan.
[= Ulkona näyttää, että sataa.]

It looks like it is raining outside.

Examples of past referative constructions:

Hänellä vaikuttaa olleen kiire.
[= Vaikuttaa, että hänellä oli kiire.]

It appears he/she has been busy.

Heikki kertoi voittaneensa suunnistusmestaruuden.
[= Heikki kertoi, että (hän) voitti suunnistusmestaruuden.]

Heikki told me he won the orienteering championships.

Luulin tästä puhutun eilen.
[= Luulin, että tästä puhuttiin eilen.]

I thought this was talked about yesterday.

Väitit minun lähteneen juhlista etuajassa.
[= Väitit, että minä lähdin juhlista etuajassa.]

You claimed I had left the party early.

Kuulin hänen tulleen tänne.
[= Kuulin, että hän tuli tänne.]

I heard he/she had come here.

Työt näkyvät tehdyn.
[= Näyttää, että työt on tehty.]

It appears the work had been finished.

If the subject for both the finite clause and the non-finite clause are the same, a possessive suffix corresponding to the person of the finite verb may be used with the participle (as in the example with luulen matkustavani, Heikki kertoi voittaneensa).

If the subjects are different, the subject for the non-finite clause is expressed in the genitive case and customarily placed before the participle (as in the example with väitit minun lähteneen). No possessive suffix is meant to be used in this case, even if the subject of the participle is a personal pronoun.

In some cases, the subject may not be mentioned using either of these; this is particularly common with verbs like vaikuttaa which are used impersonally, as can be seen in the examples above. In such cases it is clear from context that the same person is being talked about for both verbs.

The object or predicative in referative constructions is inflected in the same way as it would be in an equivalent subordinate clause (luulin myydyn auton olleen uusi ~ luulin, että myyty auto oli uusi).

Temporal construction

Temporal constructions (temporaalirakenne) place events or occurrences relative to others. Like referative constructions, they come in two forms: the present and past temporal constructions.

The equivalent subordinate clauses generally use the conjunction kun.

Other names for the present temporal construction include the '-essA referative construction' and the 'tehdessä construction'. Other names for the past temporal construction include the '-tUA referative construction' and the 'tehtyä construction'.

Present temporal constructions are used to express events or occurrences that happen simultaneously or part of one another. They use the inessive forms of the second infinitive, possibly with a possessive suffix:

saapuessani kotiin...
[= kun olin saapumassa kotiin...]

as I was coming home...

pormestarin puhuessa...
[= kun pormestari oli puhumassa...]

as the mayor was speaking...

sitä syötäessä...
[= kun sitä syödään...]

as it is being eaten...

Past temporal constructions express an action that has already finished and then something that takes place after that. They use the partitive singular forms of the past passive participle, possibly with a possessive suffix.

saavuttuani kotiin...
[= kun olin saapunut kotiin...]

after I had come home...

pormestarin puhuttua...
[= kun pormestari oli puhunut...]

after the mayor had spoken...

Possessive suffixes are used when:

• the subject in the construction is a first-person or second-person pronoun, which is then usually subsequently omitted,
• or when the subject of the construction is the same as for the finite verb, in which case the third-person possessive suffix (unless the first rule applies) is used, and the subject is not repeated in the construction:
  • odottaessaan Yrjö joi kupin kahvia

    While waiting, Yrjö drank a cup of coffee.

    Yrjö was the person who was waiting, and while waiting, drank a cup of coffee.

  • hänen odottaessa Yrjö joi kupin kahvia

    While (s)he was waiting, Yrjö drank a cup of coffee.

    Yrjö drank a cup of coffee, as some other person (not Yrjö, but someone else mentioned previously) was waiting.

Note that the possessive suffix is not used when the personal pronoun is a third-person pronoun (hän or he), nor is such a pronoun omitted. Using the third-person possessive suffix with a third-person pronoun is considered an error.

When the subject is not a personal pronoun, it is expressed in the genitive case, generally before the non-finite verb form.

Final construction

The final construction (finaalirakenne, also called the 'tehdäkseen construction') expresses a purpose or an objective for some action.

The equivalent subordinate clause uses the conjunction jotta or että, combined with a verb inflected in the conditional mood.

The final construction uses the long first infinitive with a possessive suffix:

lähdimme Lappiin tavataksemme joulupukin
[= lähdimme Lappiin, jotta tapaisimme joulupukin]

we went to Lapland (in order) to meet Santa Claus

The final construction always implies the subject is the same for both the finite and the non-finite clause. A possessive suffix is always used; the first-person or second-person possessive suffixes is used with subjects that are first-person or second-person pronouns, respectively, while the third-person suffix is used with other subjects.

Modal construction

The modal construction (modaalirakenne, also called the 'tehden construction') is used to express the 'mode' in which the subject is when performing an action, usually referring either to a simultaneous action or the means by which an action is done.

The equivalent subordinate clause can assume many different forms depending on the context and what exactly is being meant.

The modal construction uses the instructive of the active second infinitive:

lähdemme ravintolaan kävellen
[= lähdemme ravintolaan kävelemällä / lähdemme ravintolaan niin, että kävelemme]

we'll leave to the restaurant by walking (on foot)

Kaisa odotti bussia lukien
[= Kaisa odotti bussia ja luki]

Kaisa was reading while waiting for the bus