Fourth Infinitive Verb Rections
The term rections is used to express that certain words will require the words that form a chain with them to appear in the sentences in a specific form. In this article, we look at fourth infinitive verb rections.
All the verbs on this page will require verbs to be turned into nouns before they can be used in the verb chain. You do this by using the ending -minen, which is the marker of the fourth infinitive. Verbs ending in -minen can be called nounalized verbs.
These nounalized verbs will be added to the chain in a certain case. For example, rakastaa will require the partitive case (Rakastan ratsastamista = I love horse riding) and pitää will require the mistä-form aka the elative (Pidän ratsastamisesta = I like horse riding).
| Genitive | ||
|---|---|---|
| Verb | Example | Translation |
| aloittaa | Aloitan laihduttamisen huomenna. | I start dieting tomorrow |
| lopettaa | Lopetin vihdoin tupakoimisen. | I finally quit smoking. |
| Partitive | ||
| Verb | Example | Translation |
| rakastaa | Katri rakastaa laulamista. | Katri loves singing. |
| harrastaa | Venla harrastaa juoksemista. | Venla enjoys running. |
| inhota | Inhoan juoruilemista. | I hate gossiping. |
| jatkaa | Ari jatkoi valittamista. | Ari continued to complain. |
| vihata | Vihaatko lentämistä? | Do you hate flying? |
| pelätä | He pelkäävät ratsastamista. | They fear horse riding. |
| vastustaa | Vastustan ydinvoimalan rakentamista. | I resist the building of a nuclear plant. |
| Mistä | ||
| Verb | Example | Translation |
| pitää | Pidättekö kokkaamisesta? | Do you like cooking? |
| tykätä | En tykkää tiskaamisesta. | I don’t like doing the dishes. |
| nauttia | Nautin saunomisesta. | I enjoy taking a sauna. |
| haaveilla | Liisa haaveilee kesämökin ostamisesta. | Liisa dreams of buying a summer cottage. |
| huolehtia | Anna huolehti pyykkien pesemisestä. | Anna takes care of the laundry washing. |
| Mihin | ||
| Verb | Example | Translation |
| kyllästyä | Jari on kyllästynyt lukemiseen. | Jari is bored of reading. |
| väsyä | Väsyn opettajan kuuntelemiseen. | I get tired of listening to the teacher. |
| keskittyä | Keskityn opiskelemiseen. | I focus on studying. |
| vaikuttaa | Etäopiskelu vaikuttaa oppimiseen. | Distance learning affects learning. |
| liittyä | Onnistumiseen liittyy yleensä päämäärä. | Success usually involves a goal. |
| erikoistua | Hän erikoistui maisemien maalaamiseen. | She specialized in painting landscapes. |
There are also verbs that require the third infinitive (rections) or the first infinitive (rections) in their verb chain. Check those out next!
I think there’s some exceptions. I’ve seen this example from the redfox sanakirja: “Minä rakastaisin ottaa hänet.” I thought that using verbs with partitive verbs can only be in the -minen form.
There are exceptions to everything, aren’t there? 🙂 In this case it’s mostly that Finnish is evolving in this new direction.
You can read more about rakastaa + perumuoto here: http://www.kielitoimistonohjepankki.fi/haku/rakastaa/ohje/610 – In short: Yes, it’s possible, and it seems to be getting more popular amongst the youth, but it can look really out of place in written sources. In fairly many grammar books this form is advised against.
Personally, it hurts my ears!
Ok alright, I’ll stay away from this in written texts, maybe speech too, since I do happen to be one of those finnish purest ^^;;. (as an aside the example sentence I’m aware is out of context and alone has sexual conantations, but it’s actually part of a larger clause of someone wanting to be taken somewhere.)