kuivavat

Kuivavat is a Finnish finite verb form meaning “they dry” or “they are drying.” It is the present indicative third-person plural form of the verb kuivata, which means to remove moisture from something. In everyday language, kuivavat is used to describe drying processes for clothes, food, wood, and other materials.

Etymology and morphology: The form comes from the stem kuiv- with the infinitive suffix -ata, combined with the third-person plural present marker -vat. In Finnish, verb conjugation marks person and number on the verb, while gender is not a factor.

Usage and examples: Common sentences include “Pyykit kuivavat pihalla” (The clothes are drying outside) or “Hedelmät kuivavat auringossa” (The fruits are drying in the sun). The construction denotes a present action and does not specify whether the drying is complete; aspect is typically inferred from context.

Related terms: The verb kuivata belongs to the family of drying-related words. Related nouns include kuivaus (drying, drying process) and kuivuri or kuivausvälineet for devices or tools used to dry, such as a clothes dryer or desiccant in specific contexts. The past participle form kuivattu means “dried,” used in passive constructions or as an adjective.