Suuretkin

Suuretkin is a Finnish intensifying form used with adjectives to add emphasis and, often, a sense of inclusion or contrast. It is formed by combining the plural nominative adjective suuret (large) with the enclitic particle -kin, producing suuretkin. The -kin particle conveys ideas like "also," "even," or "indeed," and its placement affects nuance rather than core meaning. The construction is common in both spoken Finnish and written prose, especially when the speaker or writer wants to highlight that even the larger or more noticeable items deserve attention.

Usage and nuance

Suuretkin typically modifies a noun in plural, as in suur etkin rakennukset, to mean “the big buildings, even the big ones” or “the large buildings as well.” The form signals a comparison or emphasis within a group, rather than a strict absolute statement. It can appear in descriptive passages, negotiations, or argumentative writing where the speaker wants to stress that not only the small or expected elements matter, but the larger ones do as well. The word is flexible and can coexist with other expressive forms such as pienetkin or vanhatkin to convey similar intensifications for different scales or categories.

Related forms and notes

The particle -kin can attach to various adjectives in the plural or other inflected forms to produce analogous expressions (pienetkin, vanhatkin, suuritkin, etc.). While common in everyday language, suuretkin is primarily a stylistic or rhetorical device, so its use may be more frequent in narrative or discourse that aims for emphasis. It is not tied to a specific domain, but its nuance is most noticeable when contrasting elements within a group.