Sulkeutuisivat

Sulkeutuisivat is a Finnish verb form, the third-person plural present conditional of sulkeutua. It expresses a hypothetical action: “they would close (themselves)” or “they would become closed.” The verb sulkeutua means to close, seal, or become closed, typically referring to doors, openings, or gaps.

Grammatical notes: The form belongs to the conditional mood, with the ending -isivat indicating third-person plural. It is used in conditional clauses (for example after jos) or in statements describing a hypothetical situation. Sulkeutua is an intransitive verb, meaning the subject undergoes the closing rather than performing it on an object.

Usage: Sulkeutuisivat can describe physical closures, such as gates or doors that would close automatically, as well as metaphorical closures, such as borders or restrictions that would come into effect under certain conditions. The construction is common in both written and spoken Finnish when discussing potential outcomes.

Examples:

- Jos portit sulkeutuisivat itsestään, emme pääsisi pihalle. (If the gates closed themselves, we would not be able to go outside.)

- Ovet sulkeutuisivat automaattisesti, jos hälytysjärjestelmä aktivoituisi. (The doors would close automatically if the alarm system were activated.)

See also: sulkeutua, Finnish conditional mood.