seurasivat

Seurasivat is a Finnish verb form meaning "they followed" or "they pursued." It is the third-person plural imperfect (past tense) of the verb seurata, which means to follow, accompany, or pursue. In Finnish, this form is used to describe a completed action in the past by multiple subjects.

Morphology and formation: Seura- is the verb stem derived from seurata, with the standard Type I past plural ending -sivat added, resulting in seurasivat. This form contrasts with seurasi (he/she followed) for the third-person singular and with seuraa (he/she follows) in the present tense. The past plural form is common in narrative to convey actions undertaken by several agents.

Usage: Seurasivat appears in written and spoken Finnish when describing past actions carried out by a group. It can be used with various objects or complements, for example to indicate following a path, a rule, an instruction, or someone’s lead. The construction remains neutral and factual, appropriate for encyclopedia-style or descriptive prose.

Examples:

- He seurasivat tietä pitkin kaupungin keskustaan. (They followed the road through the city center.)

- Kulkijat seurasivat opastusta loppuun asti. (The travelers followed the guided instructions to the end.)

- He seurasivat ohjeita tarkasti. (They followed the instructions carefully.)

Relation to related forms: Seurasivat is related to other Finnish forms of seurata, including seuraa (present), seurasi (past singular), and seuraaminen (gerund). Together, these forms illustrate typical Finnic verb conjugation for mood, tense, and number.

See also: Finnish grammar, Finnish verbs, seurata.