Katsoa Nähdä Katsella - Verb Differences

This article deals with verbs related to watching, such as katsoa, nähdä, katsella. We’ll be looking at how they differ from each other in meaning. We’ll start with the difference between the most common verbs and then get into the more advanced verbs. You can also find an article on just the verb katsoa and its different meanings here.

The Difference Between Katsoa and Nähdä

The verb katsoa is generally translated as “to watch”, while nähdä is “to see”. This distinction is not perfect, but it catches the essence of the matter.

Nähdä is what you do when your eyes are open and you’re not blind. It’s effortless and isn’t necessarily focussed on anything. In contrast, katsoa requires a focus point; something to look at.

Finnish	English
Katson televisiota.	I watch television.
Näen television.	I see a television.
Katsotaan, mitä voin tehdä.	Let’s see what I can do.
Nähdään huomenna!	See you tomorrow!
En katso mitään.	I’m not watching anything.
En näe mitään.	I can’t see anything.
Katson maisemaa.	I look at the view.
Näen maiseman.	I see the view.

The Difference Between Katsoa and Katsella

In contrast with katsoa, the verb katsella refers to watching something for an extended period of time, usually with less focus. The verb katsoa is much more common, so if in doubt, use that one.

Katsella can mean one or multiple of these at once:

To watch for an extended period of time
To watch with less of a focus
To watch while also doing something else
To watch multiple things of the same type (pictures, paintings, clothes)

Finnish	English
Katson televisiota. Katson uutiset.	I’m watching television. I watch the news.
Löhöilen sohvalla ja katselen televisiota.	I lounge on the couch and watch television.
Katson patsaan tarkasti.	I’m watching a statue carefully.
Katselen nähtävyyksiä.	I’m watching the sights.
Voin katsella lintuja tuntikausia.	I can watch birds for hours.
Tarvitsetko apua? Ei, Katselen vaan.	Don you need help? No, I’m just browsing.
Näyttelyssä oli paljon katselemista.	There was a lot to see in the exhibit.

Other Verbs Related to Watching

Below, you can find four groups of words that are related to watching. The words in each group have meanings that are closely related.

To stare, to gape, to oggle

Finnish	English
tuijottaa	to stare at something/someone
tuijotella	to stare (e.g. into the distance)
töllöttää	to ogle
töllistellä	to ogle, to watch curiously
toljottaa	to goggle
tollottaa	to gawp, to gape
seurata silmillään	to follow with one’s eyes

To glace, to peek, to scan

Finnish	English
vilkaista	to glance at, to give a quick look
kurkistaa	to take a peek at
silmätä	to glance at
silmäillä	to scan, to read quickly, superficially

To check, to inspect

Finnish	English
tutkia	to examine, to study
tarkistaa	to check & repair (e.g. teeth, spelling)
tarkastaa	to check (e.g. train tickets)
katsastaa	to inspect (e.g. yearly car check)
tarkastella	to scrutinize for a period of time

To keep an eye on

Finnish	English
pitää silmällä	to keep an eye on
valvoa	to supervise, to oversee
tarkkailla	to monitor, to observe
vahtia	to watch, to guard
seurata	to monitor, to keep track
tähystää	to keep a look-out
tähystellä	to watch for
havaita	to detect, to observe
havainnoida	to observe