kuitenkaan

Kuitenkaan is a Finnish adverbial conjunction meaning nevertheless or however. It introduces a contrast between a preceding statement and what follows, signaling a concession or counterpoint. The word is used to mark a shift in stance without negating the prior claim entirely.

Grammatical role and placement: Kuitenkaan can modify an entire clause and is typically placed at the beginning of the new clause, often preceded by a comma. It is more common in written or formal Finnish and is less frequent in casual speech. It can start a sentence to foreground a contrasting point, or appear mid-sentence to link two statements.

Examples: Se maksoi paljon. Kuitenkaan ostin sen. En tiennyt vastausta, kuitenkaan päätin yrittää. These illustrate how kuitenkaan signals a counterpoint to what preceded it and supports a continuing or revised stance.

Nuances and synonyms: Kuitenkaan conveys a stronger or more formal sense of concession than some synonyms, such as kuitenkin or silti. It emphasizes that the following statement remains valid despite prior expectations, objections, or conditions. In everyday conversation, speakers may opt for simpler contrasts like mutta or silti if the nuance is not required.

See also: kuitenkin, silti, mutta.