ilmetään

Ilmetään is a Finnish verb form meaning it becomes apparent or it is revealed. It is the present passive form of ilmetä, used to indicate that something has come into view or has become evident. The expression is common in formal or written Finnish, such as journalism, academic writing, and official reports, where the subject is often indefinite or the author wants to present findings without naming a specific actor. The idea behind ilmetään is that information or a situation has emerged and can be stated as a fact.

Usage and nuance: Ilmetään is used to introduce observations, results, or changes that have appeared through investigation, measurement, or analysis. It often appears with sources such as a study, survey, or statistics, for example in clauses like “Kyselyn tuloksista ilmetään…” or “Katsauksen mukaan ilmetään…” It conveys a neutral, objective tone, focusing on what is observable rather than who observed it.

Grammar: Ilmetään is the present, impersonal passive form of ilmetä. There is no explicit subject, and the construction enables reporting of findings without assigning agency. It contrasts with ilmeni, the past tense form, which reports what was revealed at a past time, and with ilmeneminen, the noun form referring to the emergence itself.

Related terms: The root ilme (appearance, expression) underlies ilmetä. Other related verbs include ilmetä varjossa (to become visible) and ilmeneminen (emergence).

Examples:

- Kyselyn tuloksista ilmetään, että vastaajat suosivat vaihtoehtoa B.

- Tilastoista ilmetään selkeää paranemista viime vuosina.