Pitkospuut ovat märät.

The duckboards are wet.

Breakdown of Pitkospuut ovat märät.

• olla: to be
• märkä: wet
• pitkospuut: the duckboards

Questions & Answers about Pitkospuut ovat märät.

What does pitkospuut mean as a word?

Pitkospuut is a noun, and it is the plural form of pitkospuu.

It refers to the wooden planks or narrow wooden walkway laid over wet or marshy ground, especially in forests or bogs. In English, it is often translated as duckboards, boardwalk planks, or simply a boardwalk, depending on context.

Even though English might use a singular word like boardwalk, Finnish often uses the plural pitkospuut for this kind of structure.

Why is the verb ovat used instead of on?

Because pitkospuut is plural.

In Finnish, the verb olla (to be) changes according to whether the subject is singular or plural:

• on = is
• ovat = are

So:

• Pitkospuu on märkä. = one board / one plank walkway is wet.
• Pitkospuut ovat märät. = the duckboards / planks are wet.

Why do both pitkospuut and märät end in -t?