Katsottua

Katsottua is a Finnish non-finite verb form derived from the verb katsoa, meaning to look or to watch. In linguistic descriptions it is treated as part of the participle family, used to convey that an act of watching has been completed in relation to another event. The form typically appears in written or formal Finnish and is less common in everyday speech.

Morphology and use. The form is analyzed as a participial construction that can modify a noun phrase or participate in a non-finite clause. It often appears with a following noun such as katsottua elokuvaa (“a watched film”) or katsottua materiaalia (“watched material”). In subordinate clauses, katsottua can contribute to temporal or contextual relations, signaling that the watching occurred prior to another action.

Grammatical context. In modern Finnish, katsottua is usually discussed alongside other -ttua-type forms and compared with the related past participles katsottu (the passive past participle) and other active or passive constructions. While katsottua has a clear theoretical role in descriptive grammars, its practical use tends to be more limited and literary, with many speakers opting for simpler constructions to express similar meaning.

Etymology and variation. Katsottua is formed from the verb stem kats- plus a participial suffix, reflecting Finnish patterns of non-finite verb formation. The exact frequency and acceptability of katsottua can vary by author, dialect, and level of formality.

See also: Finnish grammar, participles, non-finite verb forms, katsoa.