lõikavad

Lõikavad is an Estonian word that can function as a verb form or as an adjective, depending on context. As a verb, lõikavad is the present tense, third-person plural form of the verb lõikama, meaning “they cut.” As an adjective, lõikav is a participial form meaning “cutting” or “sharp,” and lõikavad is the plural form used when the adjective modifies a plural noun.

Etymology and form: both uses derive from the root lõik-, related to cutting. The participle is formed with the suffix -av, yielding lõikav for the singular and lõikavad for the plural when used as an adjective. In verbal use, lõikavad corresponds to the subject in the plural third person: nad lõikavad.

Usage as a verb: in sentences, lõikavad describes actions performed by multiple subjects. Example: Nad lõikavad puitu. (They are cutting wood.) This form is common in everyday Estonian and is part of standard verbal conjugation.

Usage as an adjective: when used attributively before a noun, lõikav and its plural lõikavad agree with the noun in number and case. Examples: lõikav tera (a cutting/sharp blade), lõikavad noad (sharp knives). In these contexts, lõikav conveys the sense of sharpness or incisiveness, rather than literal cutting.

See also: Estonian grammar, participles, and adjective formation with the -av suffix. The term illustrates how Estonian uses the same surface form for both a verb present tense and a participial adjective, with meaning clarified by syntactic role.