kuuluvat

Kuuluvat is a Finnish verb form meaning “belong to” or “are part of.” It is the third-person plural present tense of the verb kuulua, and it is used to express that certain items, people, or groups are members of a larger set, category, or ownership.

Usage and meaning

Kuuluvat is used to indicate belonging, inclusion, or association. It can describe possession in a broad sense (something belongs to someone) as well as membership in a group or categorization within a system, such as a collection, tradition, or set of rules. The sense can be literal (an object belonging to someone) or more abstract (an item that is part of a category or process). In Finnish, phrases with kuulua often involve a possessive or an indirect possessor expressed with a dative-like form, such as minulle (to me) or meidän.

Grammar and forms

Kuulua is an intransitive verb. The present tense forms include kuulun, kuulut, kuuluu, kuulumme, kuulutte, kuuluvat, with kuuluvat corresponding to he/they belong. The past tense forms are kuului and kuuluivat. The related noun for the concept of belonging is kuuluvuus, and the participial adjective is kuuluva (belonging). Kuulua is often contrasted with kuulua to hear, written as kuulla; they are distinct verbs with different meanings and pronunciations.

Examples

- Tämä talo kuuluu minulle. (This house belongs to me.)

- Nämä esineet kuuluvat kokoelmaani. (These items belong to my collection.)

- Siihen kuuluu myös varoitus. (That also includes a warning.)

- Hän kuuluu meidän ryhmäämme. (He belongs to our group.)

See also

Related concepts include kuuluvuus (belonging, inclusion) and the verb kuulla (to hear), which is a false friend due to similar spelling but different meaning.