osoita

Osoita is a Finnish verb form meaning to indicate, point out, or show. It is the imperative singular form of the verb osoittaa and is used to command someone to reveal or direct attention to something.

Grammatical notes: The base verb is osoittaa. The present tense forms are osoitan, osoitat, osoittaa, osoitamme, osoitatte, osoittavat. The imperative singular is osoita, and the plural imperative is osoittakaa. The negative imperative is formed with the word Älä, as in Älä osoita (don’t point out), with the plural variant typically rendered as Älkää osoittako.

Usage and nuance: Osoita is used in both physical and informational contexts. It can instruct someone to point to a location, show a route, reveal a document, or indicate a piece of information. It is common in demonstrations, directions, or when requesting clarification. The phrase often appears with a direct object or an indirect object, such as a person to whom the showing is directed.

Semantic range: While primarily literal, osoittaa can be employed metaphorically to indicate causes, conclusions, or preferred options in explanations or arguments. It is closely related to other forms of the same verb family, including osoittaa (infinitive) and related nouns such as osoitus (the act of indicating).

See also: osoittaa, osoite, osoittaminen.