tarjoilevat

Tarjoilevat is the present tense, third-person plural form of the Finnish verb tarjoilla, which means to serve or to provide, particularly in the context of food, drink, or services. The form is used when the subject of the sentence consists of multiple agents that perform the act of serving or providing. For example: Ravintolat tarjoilevat lounasta sekä päivittäin uusia ruokalistoja.

In addition to its finite verb use, tarjoilevat can function as a present active participle. In this use, it describes people or things that are currently serving or providing. For example: tarjoilevat työntekijät (the serving staff) or tarjoilevat annokset (serving portions of dishes). The participial meaning is common in compound noun phrases or attributive positions, where the participle agrees in number with the noun it modifies.

Etymologically, tarjoilla derives from the root tarjo- with the typical Finnish verb suffix -illa, forming a word that emphasizes the act of serving or providing as a service. The related noun tarjoin? No; more relevant related terms are tarjonta (offer, supply), tarjoaminen (providing, offering), and tarjoilija (waiter, server). These related forms help explain how tarjoilevat fits into Finnish phrases describing hospitality, catering, and service contexts.

Usage notes: tarjoilevat is typically used with plural subjects such as restaurants, organizers, or teams. It contrasts with singular forms like tarjoaa (it offers/serves) and with nominalized or participial alternatives such as tarjoileva (serving, serving staff). The meaning remains focused on providing goods or services to others, especially meals or beverages.

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