Kertovat

Kertovat is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Finnish verb kertoa, meaning to tell or relate. It is used when the subject performing the action is plural, as in they tell or they recount.

Form and usage: Kertoa is a regular -oa verb. In the present tense, the personal endings are added to the verb stem: minä kerron, sinä kerrot, hän kertoo, me kerromme, te kerrotte, he kertovat. The form kertovat specifically marks the action as being carried out by multiple subjects. It can refer to telling stories, sharing information, or recounting statements.

Examples:

- He kertovat tarinoita. (They tell stories.)

- Mitä he kertovat? (What are they telling?)

- He kertovat meille totuuden. (They tell us the truth.)

Notes:

- Kertovat often appears in narrative or reported-speech contexts, where speakers convey what others have said or are saying.

- The verb is commonly used across informal and formal registers and is versatile for referencing both ordinary conversations and storytelling.

Related terms:

- kertoa: the infinitive form meaning to tell.

- kerron, kerrot, kertoo, kerromme, kerrotte: other present-tense forms for different subjects.