Pienissäkin

Pienissäkin is a Finnish word form built from the adjective pieni (small) in its plural inessive form pienissä, with the enclitic particle -kin added to produce pienissäkin. The combination conveys the sense “even in the small ones” or “even the small ones,” serving as an emphatic modifier that highlights inclusivity across scales. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Finnish to stress that a statement applies beyond larger or more obvious cases.

Morphology and usage

The form results from attaching -kin to the inflected stem pienissä. The particle -kin functions as a general focus and emphasis marker, akin to “also” or “even” in English, but with a nuance of surprise or thoroughness. Because pienissäkin is formed from an adjective in a plural inessive form, it is typically followed by a noun in the same grammatical area, or used as a standalone modifier in a broader statement. Examples include: Pienissäkin tapauksissa on syytä olla varovainen. (In even small cases there is reason to be cautious.) Pienissäkin yksiköissä on omat käytäntönsä. (Even in small units there are their own practices.) Pienissäkin asioissa kannattaa kiinnittää huomiota. (In small matters as well, one should pay attention.)

Nuances and alternatives

Pienissäkin carries a stronger emphasis than the neutral myös or myötä-phrase constructions, signaling that the point extends to small-scale contexts. It can be used in a wide range of topics, from practical decisions to analyses and arguments. Related forms with -kin can be found with other adjectives (esim. tärkeissäkin, suurissakin) to express similar intensification across different magnitudes.

See also

Finnish grammar: the particle -kin; adjective inflection in Finnish; usage of -kin for emphasis.