Leikkailevat

Leikkailevat is the present tense, third‑person plural form of the Finnish verb leikkailla, which means “to cut” or “to slice.” In Finnish grammar, this form is used when describing an action that multiple subjects are performing at the same time. For example, the sentence “Leikkailevat terävät veitsenet” translates as “The sharp knives are cutting.”

The verb leikkailla originates from the noun leikka, meaning “cut,” combined with the verb‑forming suffix –illa, which allows the formation of verbs that describe the act of cutting. The suffix –illa also indicates a continuous or habitual action, so leikkailevat carries a nuance of ongoing cutting rather than a single, instantaneous act.

Leikkailevat appears in a wide variety of contexts. In culinary writing, it may describe the slicing of vegetables (“Leikkailevat vihannekset loistavat”). In editing software documentation, it can refer to text trimming (“Leikkailevat jalat tekstistä”). In colloquial speech, the phrase is sometimes used figuratively to describe quick decisions or reduced explanations (“Leikkailevat keskustelut”.

Because leikkailevat is a purely grammatical form, it does not typically serve as a proper name on its own. However, in the Finnish media and popular culture, it has been used as the title of a short film and as a stage name for a folk‑pop duo, reflecting its vivid imagery of cutting through narrative or musical arrangements. The term is recognized by the Finnish Language Society and is taught in basic Finnish courses as an example of verb conjugation in the active voice.