Kukkivat

Kukkivat is the present tense, third-person plural form of the Finnish verb kukkia, which means to bloom or to flower. It describes plants that are currently in bloom and is used with plural subjects such as kukat (flowers) or puut (trees). The corresponding singular present form is kukkii, as in Kukka kukkii nyt.

Origin and form: The verb kukkia derives from the noun kukka (flower) with the infinitive suffix -ia. In present tense, the third-person plural ending is created with a suffix that yields kukkivat. This form is typical of Finnish verbs in describing ongoing flowering in nature, and it appears frequently in naturalistic and botanical descriptions as well as everyday weather or season notes.

Usage and nuance: Kukkivat is used to state that a group of flowers or flowering plants are in bloom. Examples include: Kukat kukkivat keväällä. Puut kukkivat sinä vuonna myöhään. The form can be used with broader, metaphorical sense to indicate flourishing or thriving conditions, though in many contexts speakers may choose other verbs (for example kukoistaa) to express flourishing in a non-botanical sense. As a present-tense form, kukkivat does not convey completed flowering; it emphasizes the ongoing event of blooming at the time referred to.