näyttele

Näyttele is a Finnish verb meaning to perform or act, especially by portraying a character in theatre or film. It can also mean to pretend or feign something in everyday speech. The word is closely connected to theatre-related terms such as näytelmä (a play), näyttelijä (an actor), and näyttämö (the stage).

In use, näytellä covers both formal performing arts contexts and more casual, everyday situations where someone pretends. For example, hän näyttelee rooliaan uskottavasti means “he/she acts their role convincingly,” and äkillisesti voi viitata toiveeseen toimiakin? The literal sense is acting, while the figurative sense involves pretending or putting on a façade, as in näytellä viattomuutta (to feign innocence).

Grammatically, näyttele is the imperative form (singular) used to give a command: Näyttele rooliasi. The verb forms follow standard Finnish conjugation for -ella/-ellä verbs; for instance, näyttelee can appear in the third-person singular present tense, and näyttelemme in the first-person plural present tense. A related noun is näytteleminen, meaning acting or performing.

Etymologically, näyttele derives from the root näyt-, associated with display or showing, which also appears in näytelmä (a play) and näyttelijä (actor). The family of words reflects the core idea of presenting and portraying, whether on stage or in everyday life.

See also: näytelmä, näyttelijä, näyttämö, näytteleminen.