Silmäilee

Silmäilee is a Finnish verb in the present tense (third person singular) derived from the verb silmäillä, meaning to look at, to glance at, or to eye something. The sense ranges from a quick, casual look to a more deliberate survey or inspection conducted with the eyes. The action is often brief and can be neutral, practical, or evaluative in nature.

Etymology and form: The word comes from the noun silmä (eye) combined with a verbal suffix, producing a verb that denotes performing the action with the eyes. The infinitive is silmäillä, and the present tense forms include silmäilee (he/she/it looks at). The past tense is silmäili, and the past participle is silmäillyt.

Usage: Silmäilee is typically transitive and commonly takes a target expressed as a noun in partitive or related case forms, such as tarjontaa (offerings), ohikulkijoita (passersby), or maisemia (sceneries). Examples: Hän silmäilee tarjontaa kaupassa. Hän silmäilee ohikulkijoita. The nuance can be neutral—simply scanning or perusing something—or evaluative, implying a degree of interest or assessment. In some contexts, especially when directed at a person, silmäillä can carry a flirtatious or intrusive connotation, akin to ogling.

Related forms: The noun form silmäily indicates the act of glancing or a quick look. Common synonyms in Finnish include katsoa and katsella, though silmäillä emphasizes the act performed with the eyes.

See also: Silmäily (noun), katsoa (to look), katsella (to look at, to view).