Moodustuvad

Moodustuvad is an Estonian verb form that translates roughly as "are formed" or "come into being." It is used to describe processes by which something comes into existence. The word is the present tense, passive form of moodustuma (to form, to be formed) or moodustama (to form). In sentences, the subject is typically plural and non-human, and the verb expresses formation rather than an agent performing the action.

Etymology and usage: The form moodustuvad derives from the verb moodustuma/moodustama, with the present tense passive ending indicating that the subject is being formed by a process. It is commonly found in scientific, descriptive, and encyclopedic writing to state how phenomena arise rather than who causes them. The construction is versatile and can describe natural, social, or abstract formations.

Examples:

- Pilved moodustuvad niiskusest. (Clouds form from moisture.)

- Kivid moodustuvad setetest ja mineraalidest. (Rocks form from sediments and minerals.)

- Vikerkaared moodustuvad valguse murdumisel. (Rainbows form when light is refracted.)

Usage notes: Moodustuvad typically appears with a plural subject and often with phrases naming the material or condition from which formation occurs. It contrasts with active forms like moodustab or moodustabid, which would imply an agent forms something rather than a process by which formation occurs. In learner texts, moodustuvad is often introduced alongside related forms such as moodustunud (formed) and moodustuma (to form/be formed).

See also: moodustuma, moodustunud, moodustamine, formation (in a general sense).