Ilmaisevat

Ilmaisevat is a Finnish verb form meaning “they express” or “they convey.” It is the third-person plural present tense of the verb ilmaista, which means to express, convey, or reveal. In Finnish, verbs are inflected for person and number, and the present tense for the third person plural is formed by attaching the suffix -vat (or -vät, depending on vowel harmony) to the stem ilmaise-.

Usage in context

Ilmaisevat is used when referring to multiple subjects performing the act of expressing something, such as opinions, intentions, or information. Examples: “Oppilaat ilmaisevat huolensa.” (The students express their concerns.) “He ilmaisevat kannatuksensa.” (They express their support.) In sentences, the subject can be explicit or understood from context, with the verb carrying the grammatical information.

Morphology note

The base form is ilmaise- (from ilmaista, to express). The present-tense endings for the third-person plural attach as -vat, yielding ilmaisevat. This form follows standard Finnish verb conjugation patterns, where personal endings vary by person and number.

Related forms

The verb ilmaista has related forms such as the infinitive ilmaista and the noun ilmaiseminen (expression or act of expressing), among others. The adjective ilmais-maa can yield ilmaisua or ilmaisutavat in different grammatical constructions, reflecting the broader family of expressions around the concept of conveying meaning.

See also

ilmaista, ilmaiseminen, ilmaisutapa

Note

This article describes the function and usage of ilmaisevat as a standard grammatical form in Finnish; it is not a separate lexical entry beyond its role as a verb inflection.