näyttämään

Näyttämään is the third infinitive (kolmas infinitiivi) of the Finnish verb näyttää, meaning to show or to display. It is formed with the suffix -maan / -mään, here yielding näyttämään. This form is distinct from the basic infinitive näyttää and from the noun-like participles derived from the same verb. The third infinitive is used in specific grammatical constructions to express purpose or the intended action of a larger clause.

Usage and function

Näyttämään typically appears after certain finite verbs to indicate what will be done as part of that action, especially with verbs of movement or intention, such as mennä or tulla. For example, in phrases like mennä näyttämään, the speaker speaks of going in order to show something. The form can also appear in other periphrastic patterns where the main clause implies an eventual action described by the third infinitive. It does not carry tense on its own; tense is supplied by the finite verb in the sentence.

Relation to other forms

The basic infinitive of the verb is näyttää (to show / to seem). The third infinitive näyttämään is a complementary form used in particular syntactic environments. Related words include the noun näytto (a demonstration or display) and the adjective näyttävä (showy or impressive). The meaning of näyttää as “to seem” is related but often realized with other grammatical constructions in this context.

Examples

- Menen näyttämään sen sinulle. (I am going to show it to you.)

- Hän tuli näyttämään, miten laitetaan. (He came to demonstrate how it is done.)

See also

Finnish grammar on infinitives, kolmas infinitiivi, and verb näyttaa.