Vastustivat

Vastustivat is the plural past tense form of the Finnish verb vastustaa, meaning to oppose or resist. It is the imperfect indicative active form used when the subject performing the action is plural. In English, it translates as “they opposed” or “they resisted.”

Typical usage describes a past act of opposition by a group or several actors. The object of vastustaa is often in the partitive or the accusative, depending on the sentence structure. Example sentences include: Kansalaiset vastustivat kaupungin suunnitelmaa and Yritysten liitot vastustivat ehdotusta. These illustrate how a collective action is described in the past with a plural subject.

Related forms include vastustaa (infinitive: to oppose), vastustus (noun: resistance or opposition), vastustaja (opponent), and vastustanut (past participle: opposed). The word is neutral in tone and widely used in everyday language, media, politics, and discourse about policy, legislation, or plans that are met with opposition.

Notes on nuance: vastustivat conveys deliberate and active opposition, rather than passive refusal. It can describe organized campaigns or general disagreement among multiple actors. The form is common in formal writing as well as in journalism and public discussion, reflecting past actions of groups or communities.