hajoavat

Hajoavat is a Finnish word that functions as the third-person plural present tense form of the intransitive verb hajoa, meaning to disintegrate or decompose. It can also appear as a present participle form in adjective-like use, but is most commonly encountered as a finite verb form meaning “they disintegrate.” The related noun hajoaminen refers to the process of disintegration.

Usage and meaning

Hajoa and its forms describe processes of physical, chemical, or biological breakdown. Hajoavat is used to state that multiple subjects are undergoing disintegration, for example in discussions of materials degrading under environmental conditions, or organic matter breaking down over time. The term appears across disciplines such as chemistry, biology, geology, and materials science, as well as in everyday language when describing spoilage or erosion.

Morphology and related forms

The root hajo- yields several related forms, including hajoava (disintegrating) as an attributive adjective and hajoaminen (disintegration) as a noun. These related forms help express ongoing degradation, the nature of the process, or the objects affected by it.

Examples

- Esineet hajoavat kosteudessa. (The objects disintegrate in moisture.)

- Kivet hajoavat lämpötilan vaihtelun vaikutuksesta. (The rocks are disintegrating due to temperature fluctuations.)

- Hajoavat aineet voivat aiheuttaa ympäristöhaittoja. (Disintegrating substances can pose environmental hazards.)

See also

hajoaminen, hajoava, hajoa

Note: Hajoavat primarily denotes the ongoing process of disintegration in plural subjects and is distinct from the related transitive sense of causing disintegration, which may be expressed with other verb forms in Finnish.