kuvastavat

Kuvastavat is a Finnish word form used to express depiction or representation. It is the third-person plural present indicative form of the verb kuvastaa, which means to represent, depict, or illustrate. The form is used when the subject is plural, for example in sentences like “Taulukot kuvastavat tilaston kehityksen,” meaning “The tables depict the development of the statistic.” In addition, kuvastavat can appear as a present active participle in plural, functioning as an attributive modifier meaning roughly “depicting” or “that depict.”

Usage and scope

The form commonly appears in descriptive and analytical writing, particularly when referring to elements that illustrate or reflect a phenomenon. It is frequently used in discussions of data visuals, charts, diagrams, examples, and case studies, to signal that the subject serves to represent or illustrate another concept. As a participial modifier, kuvastavat provides a concise way to link an object to its representational function within a sentence.

Relation to related terms

Kuvastaa, the base verb, is closely related to kuva (image or picture). Related forms include kuvastava (present active participle singular) and kuvastanut (past participle). Synonyms or near-synonyms in context can include esittää, heijastaa, ilmentää, and edustaa, though each carries nuanced meaning about depiction, reflection, or representation.

Notes

Kuvastavat is primarily a grammatical and stylistic tool in Finnish, used to describe how items represent or illustrate underlying concepts. Its exact usage can vary with register and textual purpose.