sumuuntuivat

Sumuuntuivat is the third-person plural past tense form of the Finnish verb sumuuntua, meaning to become foggy, hazy, or blurred. The term is used to describe surfaces, eyes, lenses, or air that lose clarity due to condensation, weather conditions, or other changes in visibility. It can also be used more figuratively to describe something that has become unclear or obscured.

Etymology and form: sumuuntua is formed from the noun sumu (fog) with the inchoative suffix -ntua, which indicates a change of state. The ending -vat in sumuuntuivat marks third-person plural past tense in Finnish, while the present tense would be sumuuntuvat and the past singular would be sumuuntui.

Usage: The expression is common in meteorological or everyday contexts. For example, windows, glasses, or camera lenses can sumuuntuivat when warm indoor air meets cold exterior air. It is also used to describe reduced visibility in conditions with fog or mist, and can appear in weather reporting or descriptions of driving conditions. In literary or descriptive prose, sumuuntuivat may convey a sense of confusion or obscurity in a scene.

Examples:

- Ikkunat sumuuntuivat nopeasti, kun lämpötilat muuttuvat ja ilma tihkusi. (The windows fogged up quickly as temperatures changed and moisture formed.)

- Linssit sumuuntuivat, kun siirryimme ulos kylmästä sisätiloihin. (The lenses fogged up as we moved from indoors to outdoors.)

- Näön sumuuntuminen teki matkasta haastavan. (The blurring of vision made the trip challenging.)

See also: sumuuntua, sumu, visibility in Finnish weather terminology.