The Purpose Structure: "In order to"
To express doing something "in order to" achieve a goal, Finnish uses a concise verb form instead of a separate conjunction.
Forming the Purpose Structure
Start with the dictionary form of the verb (the first infinitive), add the translative marker -kse-, and finish with the possessive suffix of the person doing the action.
| Person | Suffix | Example (lukea = to read) |
|---|---|---|
| Minä (I) | -ni | lukeakseni |
| Sinä (You) | -si | lukeaksesi |
| Hän (He/She) | -en | lukeakseen |
| Me (We) | -mme | lukeaksemme |
| Te (You pl.) | -nne | lukeaksenne |
| He (They) | -en | lukeakseen |
Because the third-person form is so common, this is often called the "-kseen" structure.
First and Second Person Goals
Use -ni, -si, -mme, and -nne for "I", "you", and "we".
| I hid the microphone in the room to hear everything. | Piilotin mikrofonin huoneeseen kuullakseni kaiken. |
| You need the secret code to open the door. | Tarvitset salaisen koodin avataksesi oven. |
| We built a trap to spy on the criminal. | Rakensimme ansan vakoillaksemme rikollista. |
| You studied the code to remember it tomorrow. | Te opiskelitte koodia muistaaksenne sen huomenna. |
Third Person Goals
The third-person singular and plural share the -kseen ending.
| The agent read the letter to understand the secret mission. | Agentti luki kirjeen ymmärtääkseen salaisen tehtävän. |
| The spy walked quietly to tail the target. | Vakooja käveli hiljaa varjostaakseen kohdetta. |
| The spies bought disguises to get in. | Vakoojat ostivat valepuvut päästäkseen sisään. |
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