Istuivatko

Istuivatko is a Finnish word that translates to "Did they sit?" or "Were they sitting?" in English. It is the past tense, interrogative form of the verb istua, which means "to sit." The suffix "-vat" indicates the third-person plural subject, meaning "they."

The word is used to ask a question about whether a group of people or entities were in a seated position at some point in the past. For example, one might ask "Istuivatko he tuolilla?" which translates to "Did they sit on the chair?" or "Were they sitting on the chair?" The specific context would determine whether it implies a completed action or an ongoing state in the past.

Understanding "Istuivatko" requires knowledge of Finnish verb conjugation, specifically how past tense and plural forms are constructed. The root verb "istua" undergoes changes and receives suffixes to denote person, number, and tense. The interrogative nature is conveyed by the word order and often by a rising intonation in spoken Finnish. It is a common and straightforward grammatical construction in the Finnish language.