The modal substitute construction (= modaalinen lauseenvastike = modaalirakenne) is an advanced grammar topic. If you’re a beginner, you should search for something easier on this website! There is plenty to find!

1. The Use of the Modal Substitute Construction

As you can guess from the name, a substitute construction replaces one way of saying things with another. The modal substitute construction is used to express the manner in which something is done. As such, it replaces “siten että” or “niin että” sentences.

1.1. Don’t overuse it!

Let’s start with a warning. The point of substitute constructions is to condense two sentences into one. It’s used especially in newspapers and other official sources. In spoken language, it appears mainly in some fossilized phrases.

It’s important to know that you can overdo your use of this sentence construction. If a text has too many of these constructions, it will start to be hard to read, even for Finns. Finns call texts with a lot of difficult sentence constructions “kapulakieli“. This is something that has been said especially often about texts of the Social Security Office (Kela). Often it is better to use another sentence instead of a “lauseenvastike“.

1.2. When expressing the manner in which something is done

You can do actions in a certain manner. For example, you could be crying/laughing/screaming while you run. You could be reciting the alphabet while going up the stairs. You could be singing while you take a shower.

In English, you will often use the -ing form of the second verb for this. Note that there is no complete equivalency between the English -ing and the Finnish -en! While they match up in this topic, the English -ing form is used for many other functions as well. For example, “he is crying” will just be “hän itkee” in Finnish, and “a crying baby” will be “itkevä vauva” rather than having -en.

A different approach rather than just translating the sentence is to look at the question that you would use to arrive at the answer including the modal -en verb form. Modality expresses how or in what manner something is done.

1.3. The approach of the book Suomen mestari 4

I found out that Suomen mestari 4 uses the term ja-lauseenvastike for this. This is the only book I could find where this term is used. Their approach of replacing the second verb of a sentence with the -en form works for many of the simpler sentences. The idea is that you replace the modal -en construction with “ja samaan aikaan“. For example, “Miia tuli kotiin itkien” can be rephrased “Miia tuli kotiin ja itki samaan aikaan” (…and cried at the same time).

There is a large caveat with this approach though. Sentences with “ja samaan aikaan” could also very well be temporal sentences. It depends very much on which verb comes first. It’s a good idea to consider what question word you would use to end up with the correct answer.

Also note that using “ja” doesn’t always work. Take, for example, the sentence “Hän tuli Suomeen lentäen“, which means he came to Finland by plane (literally “by flying”). Rephrasing this as “Hän tuli Suomeen ja lensi samaan aikaan” (He came to Finland and flew at the same time) sounds weird, as the modal sentence stresses that the manner of his arrival was by plane rather than a simultaneous act.

1.4. The modal and temporal substitute constructions

As shown above, one problem you might run into due to Suomen mestari‘s approach is situations where you confuse the modal construction (which explains in what manner something is done) and the temporal construction (which expresses that two actions are done simultaneously). Both of these verb forms are formed using the second infinitive, but they have a different ending: the inessive‘s -ssA versus the instructive‘s -n.

In these examples, both the modal -en form and the temporal -essa form have the same verbs, just in a different order. Here, it helps to remind yourself of the question which leads to this sentence. The questions used to lead to the modal -en construction are “millä tavalla” (in what manner) and miten (how). The question used to lead to the temporal -essA construction is milloin (when).

As a non-native Finnish speaker, I have the personal experience that I am unfortunately not always able to completely trust my own judgement on what sentences work. Take for example the sentence “Istuin pihalla [kahvia juoden]” (I sat in the yard drinking coffee). I have a hard time getting my head around “drinking coffee” being the manner in which I am sitting. I feel like sitting can’t be done in a coffee-drinking manner, if you get my drift. This is, however, an acceptable sentence. The equivalent temporal sentence “Istuin pihalla [juodessani kahvia]” (I sat in the yard while drinking coffee) is also acceptable, but it answers a different question: “When did I sit in the yard?”.

1.5. Verbs commonly used in the modal substitution construction

It’s very common to have verbs in this construction that express spending time somewhere, as it’s easy to add in what manner you are spending this time. Also common are verbs that express movement to or from a place.

However, any action that allows for multiple ways to do it will sound natural. Below, you can find some examples of in what manner Ari could be looking at you.

1.6. In certain phrases

There are also certain phrases that contain the modal substitute construction. Some examples of those are “alusta alkaen” (starting from the beginning) and “toisin sanoen” (in other words). See this list with phrases!

2. The Formation of the Modal Substitute Construction

2.1. The second infinitive + instructive case ending

The modal substitute construction or modaalirakenne is built around the second infinitive’s instructive case. This requires you to use the second infinitive of the verb, and add the instructive’s -n to it. This is not difficult, even if these two terms are not familiar to you. Simply put, you take the basic form of the verb (the first infinitive), remove the very last letter -a/-ä and add –en. It works the same in all verbtypes (VT).

2.2. The subject of the modal substitute construction

This sentence construction can appear both with and without a subject.

2.3. The tense of the modal substitute construction

You can use the modaalirakenne both for things that are happening right now and things that have happened. The second infinitive’s instructive form will remain the same regardless of the tense or mood of your sentence, both in affirmative and negative sentences as well as in questions. You can find some examples below.

2.4. Negative sentences

Another important thing is to note that the modal substitute construction can’t replace a negative sentence. The first verb can be both affirmative and negative, but the second verb can’t! In cases where you’re describing the manner in which something isn’t done, you will instead use the -mAttA form of the verb.

That’s it for now!
Comment below if you have any questions!

Related posts:

The Second Infinitive Temporal Substitute Construction – Temporaalinen lauseenvastike