kokoontavat

Kokoontavat is a Finnish verb form that denotes gathering or assembling by a plural subject. It is the third-person plural present indicative form of the verb kokoontaa (transitive: to gather/bring together) as well as, in some contexts, of kokoontua (intransitive: to come together). The distinction hinges on whether the action is directed at others (transitive) or occurs among the subjects themselves (intransitive). The ending -vat/-vät marks the 3rd person plural present in Finnish, with the exact appearance governed by vowel harmony and the chosen verb stem.

In practice, kokoontavat appears most clearly as the third-person plural form of the transitive verb kokoontaa. For example: Koulutuksen järjestäjät kokoontavat kymmeniä osallistujia tilaisuuteen. This translates to “The organizers gather dozens of participants for the event.” By contrast, the intransitive form, derived from kokoontua, is kokoontuvat: Järjestöt kokoontuvat viikonloppuna, meaning “The organizations are gathering over the weekend.”

Usage notes:

- Kokoontavat signals a gathering carried out by the subjects, often involving organizing or assembling others.

- Kokoontuvat signals a gathering of the subjects themselves or their coming together, without implying an external object being gathered.

- Both forms illustrate Finnish verb conjugation patterns: the -vat/-vät ending marks 3rd person plural present, with stem variation depending on transitivity.

See also: Finnish verb conjugation, kokoontua, kokoontaa.