Nähtävänä

Nähtävänä is a Finnish predicative form derived from the participle näetävän? No, nähtävä meaning “to be seen” and its essive form nähtävänä is used to describe a state of being visible or on view. In practice, nähtävänä functions like an adjective-like participle that indicates that something is currently viewable or on display. It is commonly used with the verb olla (to be) in clauses such as on nähtävänä, meaning “is on view” or “is visible.”

Morphology and grammar

Nähtävä is the present passive participle meaning “to be seen” or “visible.” The form seen as nähtävänä is the essive form (-na/-nä), which expresses a temporary state or role. When used predicatively, it describes the subject’s current status as being visible or on display. This construction is typical in formal or public-language contexts, such as announcements, signage, and museum or exhibition notes. Finnish often uses this pattern with other participles to indicate state-like descriptions, for example on nähtävänä, on esillä, or on ollut nähtävänä, depending on nuance and tense.

Usage and nuance

Nähtävänä emphasizes that something can be seen at the moment or in the current display. It contrasts with oli nähtävänä (was on view) and with näytettävissä (capable of being seen or accessible). In everyday usage, Nähtävänä appears in public notices, signage, press releases, and museum captions to communicate that an exhibition, artifact, or item is publicly visible or available for viewing during a specified period.

See also

Finnish grammar, Essive case, Participles, Nähtävä, Nähdä, Esillä, On display.