Vertaavat

Vertaavat is a Finnish word that functions as a finite verb form meaning “they compare.” It is the third-person plural present indicative form of the verb vertaata/vertaa, used when the subject of the sentence is plural.

In Finnish, the present tense for third-person plural is typically formed by adding the ending -vat (or -vät after front vowels) to the present stem of the verb. For the verb in question, this yields vertaavat. The form is used with plural subjects, without requiring an explicit pronoun in everyday Finnish, though pronouns such as he, hedelmät, tai ne may appear for emphasis or clarity.

Usage and examples:

- Naiset vertaavat tuloksia. (The women compare the results.)

- Tutkijat vertaavat kahta menetelmää. (The researchers compare two methods.)

Semantically, vertaavat expresses the act of comparing as a present, ongoing or habitual action performed by multiple agents. It is commonly found in discussions of data, statistics, offers, or options where several items are being evaluated against each other.

See also:

- Verbs in Finnish: present tense

- Finnish subject-verb agreement

Note: Vertaavat is one specific finite form within the broader Finnish verbal system. The base verb and exact stem may vary slightly by dialect or context, but the standard meaning remains “they compare.”