vilkaista

Vilkaista is a Finnish verb meaning to glance at, peek at, or take a quick look at something. It expresses a brief, momentary act of looking and is typically used for casual or incidental observation rather than detailed inspection. The action can involve a person, an object, or a scene and often implies curiosity, recognition, or a simple check.

Usage and nuance: Vilkaista is used when the glance is quick and not meant to be thorough. It can appear in everyday speech as well as in narrative writing. For example, Hän vilkasi ikkunasta ulos means “He glanced out the window.” The verb is commonly followed by a location or direction and can be paired with adverbs such as nopeasti to emphasize speed.

Grammatical notes: Vilkaista is a regular verb of the -ista class in Finnish. It forms its finite tenses with standard Finnish conjugation. In past tense, common forms include vilkasi (he/she glanced) and vilkasin (I glanced). The corresponding noun vilkaisu denotes a glance or a quick look.

Related terms: The noun vilkaisu is the standard noun form for a quick look. A related verb is vilkuttaa, meaning to flash or wave briefly, which shares the same root and conveys a similarly brief, transient action.

Overall, vilkaista is a common, neutral verb appropriate for describing short moments of looking, making it useful in everyday language and concise descriptive prose.