Ongoing Actions (-massa/-mässä)
To emphasize that you are right in the middle of doing something, Finnish uses the third infinitive inessive (-massa/-mässä). This translates closely to "to be doing [something]".
Construct this by pairing olla (to be) with the action verb ending in -massa or -mässä. To create this form, take the verb's strong stem and add the ending (following vowel harmony rules). These sentences often describe an ongoing action happening in a specific place:
| I am in the grocery store buying bread. | Olen ruokakaupassa ostamassa leipää. |
| We are at the post office sending a package. | Olemme postissa lähettämässä pakettia. |
Asking Questions
Form questions about ongoing actions by adding the question particle -ko/-kö to olla, or by using a question word like kuka (who).
| Are you at the bank withdrawing money? | Oletko pankissa nostamassa rahaa? |
| Who is withdrawing cash? | Kuka on nostamassa käteistä? |
Everyday Errands
Here are some common verbs for running errands, such as jonottaa (to queue) and sovittaa (to try on).
- jonottaa → jonottamassa
- sovittaa → sovittamassa
| He is already at the post office waiting in line. | Hän on jo postissa jonottamassa. |
| The woman is in the clothing store trying on a new shirt. | Nainen on vaatekaupassa sovittamassa uutta paitaa. |
Working Out and Fixing Things
For verbs ending in -ata/-ätä like korjata (to fix) and treenata (to work out), find the strong stem (which ends in a long vowel) and attach the ending.
- korjata → korjaamassa
- treenata → treenaamassa
| Father is in the garage fixing the car. | Isä on autotallissa korjaamassa autoa. |
| The student is at the gym working out. | Opiskelija on kuntosalilla treenaamassa. |