2. infinitiivi <> The 2nd Infinitive
The 2nd infinitive is used when we want to express that 2 things are happening/have happened at the same time. The are to common ways to use it. We'll start with:
2. Infinitiivi: Inessiivi muoto
This is used when we want to say
"While something else happened, this happened"
or
"While this happened, something else happened"
In Finnish, you can use the word kun, meaning when or while.
For example: Kun tulin kotiin, satoi. ---> When I came home, it rained.
We can also say the same sentence using the 2nd infinitive, like so:
Tullessani kotiin satoi. ---> When I came home, it rained.
It means exactly the same thing, it's just another way of saying it, using less words.
The Formation of the 2nd Infinitive
Forming the 2nd infinitive is very simple.
1. Replace the letter -a or -ä at the end of the basic form of the verb, with the letter -e.
2. Because this is the inessive form, we then add -ssa/ssä
3. Then we add the relative possessive suffix, depending on the pronoun
For example:
Puhua ---> Puhue- ---> Puhuessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Puhuessani While I am/was talking
Syödä ---> Syöde- ---> Syödessä- +ni, si, än, mme, nne ---> Syödessäsi While you are/were talking
Riidellä ---> Riidelle- ---> Riidellessä- +ni, si, än, mme, nne ---> Riidellessämme While we are/were arguing
Siivota ---> Siivota- ---> Siivotessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Hänen siivotessaan While he was cleaning
Valita ---> Valite- ---> Valitessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Valitessanne While you were choosing
However...
Some verbs of type 1 already contain the letter -e, such as lukea.
In these cases we remove the -a as before but then we add the letter i in the place before the -e.
For example:
Lukea ---> Lukie- ---> Lukiessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Heidän lukiessaan While they were reading
What about the tense?
It doesn't matter. This form is only used when we are connecting two separate sentences together. One of the sentences has to contain a verb in one of the tenses, this will tell you the tense of the verb in the 2nd infinitive form.
For example:
Kävellessäni töihin näin ketun. ---> While I was walking to work, I saw a fox.
It is enough that näin is in the past tense because as I said before, we use this form when 2 things happen at the same time.
Let's see some more examples:
Opettajan puhuessa opiskelijat kuuntelevat. ---> While the teacher is speaking, the students listen.
Kävin uudessa ravintolassa ollessani keskustassa. ---> I went to a new restaurant while I was in town.
Asuessani Suomessa olen käynyt kahdella kurssilla. ---> While living in Finland, I have been on 2 courses.
Katsoessasi koruja ostin uudet kengät. ---> While you were looking at the jewelry, I bought some new shoes.
2. Infinitiivi: Instruktiivi muoto
You are probably not yet familiar with the instructive case, but that doesn't matter. You don't need to understand it for this. This form is used when we want to say what somebody or something is/was doing while doing something else. Okay that soounds the same as the inessive form that you just read about, so I'll give you an example:
Tyttö juoksi kotiin itkien. ---> The girl ran home, crying.
You see how it's different? I could also say...
Tytön juostessa kotiin hän itki. ---> While the girl was running home, she cried.
The difference is that, in the second sentence I'm putting emphasis on when the girl was crying. It's important that you know that this happened while she was running home. In the first sentence however, I'm simply telling you 2 things that the girl was doing at the same time.
This is formed in the same was as before but we add the letter -n instead of -ssa/ssä and we don't need to worry about any possessive suffixes.
So let's go straight ahead and just look at some example sentences:
Hän lähti baarista hymyillen iloisesti. ---> He left the pub, smiling happily.
Kävelin töihin,nauttien auringosta. ---> I walked to work, enjoying the sun.
Hän tuli ulos suihkusta laulaen. ---> She came out of the shower, singing.
2. Infinitiivi: Inessiivi muoto
This is used when we want to say
"While something else happened, this happened"
or
"While this happened, something else happened"
In Finnish, you can use the word kun, meaning when or while.
For example: Kun tulin kotiin, satoi. ---> When I came home, it rained.
We can also say the same sentence using the 2nd infinitive, like so:
Tullessani kotiin satoi. ---> When I came home, it rained.
It means exactly the same thing, it's just another way of saying it, using less words.
The Formation of the 2nd Infinitive
Forming the 2nd infinitive is very simple.
1. Replace the letter -a or -ä at the end of the basic form of the verb, with the letter -e.
2. Because this is the inessive form, we then add -ssa/ssä
3. Then we add the relative possessive suffix, depending on the pronoun
For example:
Puhua ---> Puhue- ---> Puhuessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Puhuessani While I am/was talking
Syödä ---> Syöde- ---> Syödessä- +ni, si, än, mme, nne ---> Syödessäsi While you are/were talking
Riidellä ---> Riidelle- ---> Riidellessä- +ni, si, än, mme, nne ---> Riidellessämme While we are/were arguing
Siivota ---> Siivota- ---> Siivotessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Hänen siivotessaan While he was cleaning
Valita ---> Valite- ---> Valitessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Valitessanne While you were choosing
However...
Some verbs of type 1 already contain the letter -e, such as lukea.
In these cases we remove the -a as before but then we add the letter i in the place before the -e.
For example:
Lukea ---> Lukie- ---> Lukiessa- +ni, si, an, mme, nne ---> Heidän lukiessaan While they were reading
What about the tense?
It doesn't matter. This form is only used when we are connecting two separate sentences together. One of the sentences has to contain a verb in one of the tenses, this will tell you the tense of the verb in the 2nd infinitive form.
For example:
Kävellessäni töihin näin ketun. ---> While I was walking to work, I saw a fox.
It is enough that näin is in the past tense because as I said before, we use this form when 2 things happen at the same time.
Let's see some more examples:
Opettajan puhuessa opiskelijat kuuntelevat. ---> While the teacher is speaking, the students listen.
Kävin uudessa ravintolassa ollessani keskustassa. ---> I went to a new restaurant while I was in town.
Asuessani Suomessa olen käynyt kahdella kurssilla. ---> While living in Finland, I have been on 2 courses.
Katsoessasi koruja ostin uudet kengät. ---> While you were looking at the jewelry, I bought some new shoes.
2. Infinitiivi: Instruktiivi muoto
You are probably not yet familiar with the instructive case, but that doesn't matter. You don't need to understand it for this. This form is used when we want to say what somebody or something is/was doing while doing something else. Okay that soounds the same as the inessive form that you just read about, so I'll give you an example:
Tyttö juoksi kotiin itkien. ---> The girl ran home, crying.
You see how it's different? I could also say...
Tytön juostessa kotiin hän itki. ---> While the girl was running home, she cried.
The difference is that, in the second sentence I'm putting emphasis on when the girl was crying. It's important that you know that this happened while she was running home. In the first sentence however, I'm simply telling you 2 things that the girl was doing at the same time.
This is formed in the same was as before but we add the letter -n instead of -ssa/ssä and we don't need to worry about any possessive suffixes.
So let's go straight ahead and just look at some example sentences:
Hän lähti baarista hymyillen iloisesti. ---> He left the pub, smiling happily.
Kävelin töihin,nauttien auringosta. ---> I walked to work, enjoying the sun.
Hän tuli ulos suihkusta laulaen. ---> She came out of the shower, singing.