Pienestäkin

Pienestäkin is a Finnish intensifying determiner formed from the adjective pieni (small) with the elative suffix -stä and the clitic particle -kin, which adds emphasis. The result expresses the idea “even a small …” or “the smallest …” and is used to draw attention to something minor in a broader context.

Grammatically, pienestäkin takes the same case endings as the noun it modifies. The base form pienestä is the elative singular of pieni, and -kin is attached to that form to add contrast or emphasis. The phrase can modify nouns in various cases, depending on what is being described, for example pienestäkin virheestä (from even a small mistake) or pienestäkin asiasta (about even a small matter).

Usage and nuance, in neutral terms, center on highlighting that something small can be significant or noteworthy. It often appears in both spoken and written language to soften or broaden a statement, indicating that the scope is not limited to large or obvious examples. It is common in discussions about contributions, efforts, problems, or opportunities where even minor instances are relevant.

Examples:

- Pienestäkin virheestä voi oppia. (One can learn from even a small mistake.)

- Pienestäkin panostuksesta on ollut hyötyä. (Even a small contribution has been beneficial.)

- Pienestäkin asiasta kannattaa keskustella. (It is worth discussing even a small matter.)

See also: Finnish intensifying particles, -kin, Finnish morphology, elative case.