nähty

Nähty is a Finnish word meaning “seen” or “observed.” It is the past passive participle of the verb nähdä (to see) and is used as a predicative adjective or in passive constructions to indicate that something has been seen or observed. In sentences it often appears with the auxiliary olla (to be), as in on nähty, to express that something has been seen.

Morphology and usage

Nähty functions as a participial adjective and agrees with the noun it modifies in number and case, much like other Finnish participles. Examples include nähty kohde (a seen/observed target) or nähtyjä ilmiöitä (observed phenomena, in genitive plural). The plural form nähtyjen is used in genitive plural phrases such as nähtyjen todisteiden mukaan (according to the evidence seen). It is distinct from the active participle nähnyt, which means “have seen” from the perspective of the subject. For example, olen nähnyt means “I have seen,” whereas on nähty means “has been seen.”

Relation to other forms

Nähty is contrasted with nä/nähty (the noun form) and with nähnyt, the active perfect participle. The latter is used to describe an observer’s own experience (e.g., olen nähnyt), while nä̈hty describes something that has been observed by someone else and is now a property of that thing or event. The word can also appear in formal or journalistic language to report that something has been observed, noted, or documented.

Origins and scope

Nähty is formed by adding a past participle suffix to the verb stem of nähdä. It is a common and neutral term found across standard Finnish, including written and formal registers. It does not function as a standalone noun, but rather as an adjective-like descriptor tied to a noun through agreement or a copular construction.