pirstoutuvat

Pirstoutuvat is a Finnish verb form meaning they disintegrate or they fragment. It is the present tense, third-person plural form of the intransitive verb pirstoutua, used to describe a process in which something breaks apart into smaller pieces. The sense can be both physical, such as material breaking, and metaphorical, such as systems or plans breaking down.

Usage and nuance: Pirstoutuvat is typically used for events that involve fragmentation into many fragments rather than simple breaking or tearing. It often appears in scientific, geological, or meteorological writing when describing the breakdown of rocks, ice, ceramics, or similar materials. It can also be used metaphorically to indicate the dissolution or fragmentation of structures, organizations, or arrangements.

Morphology: The verb is formed with the stem pirstout- and the present plural ending -uvat (resulting in pirstoutuvat). As with other Finnish verbs, the form reflects subject agreement in number and person, not voice. The corresponding infinitive is pirstoutua and related nouns include pirstoutuminen (fragmentation or disintegration).

Examples:

- Kivet pirstoutuvat aaltojen vaikutuksesta. (The rocks disintegrate into fragments due to the waves.)

- Suunnitelmat pirstoutuvat, kun resurssit loppuvat. (The plans fragment when resources run out.)

Related forms: pirstoutua (infinitive), pirstoutuminen (noun: fragmentation/disintegration). The term is primarily used in descriptive writing about fragmentation phenomena and can appear in both technical and literary contexts.