Here's why:
* "-ate" suffixes typically indicate:
* Action or process: Like "activate" (to make active), "educate" (to teach).
* State or condition: Like "fortunate" (lucky), "accurate" (correct).
* "Pollen" is a noun: It refers to a specific thing, the fine powdery substance produced by flowers.
You could use "-ate" suffixes with words related to pollen, like:
* Pollinate: To transfer pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part.
* Pollinating: Describing the act of transferring pollen.
* Pollination: The process of transferring pollen.
Let me know if you have any other word transformations you'd like to explore!