pääosasta

Pääosasta is the Finnish term for the lead role in a film, television series, theatre production, or literary work. It denotes the central character around whom most of the plot revolves. In practice, the person portraying the pääosa is referred to as the pääosan esittäjä or, more commonly, the pääosanäyttelijä. The lead role is typically characterized by greater dialogue, longer screen time, and a narrative arc that drives the story, in contrast to sivuroolit (supporting roles).

Pääosa is a compound of pää, meaning main or chief, and osa, meaning part. The word is declined in Finnish like other nouns; common cases include pääosa (nominative singular), pääosan (genitive), pääosaa (partitive), and pääosasta (elatiivi). The plural pääosat refers to multiple lead roles.

In criticism and reporting, pääosasta may appear in phrases discussing the lead role or its portrayal, for example, discussions about casting, performance, or awards. The term is closely related to but distinct from other casting terms such as tukirooli (supporting role) and sivuosat (minor roles). The concept of the lead role is central to casting decisions, marketing, and recognition in Finnish performing arts.