kykenekään

Kykenekään is a Finnish word that functions as an adverb, often translated as "even" or "not even" in English. It is used to emphasize the unexpectedness or surprising degree of something, or the lack thereof. The word is a compound formed from "kyken-" (related to the verb "kyetä" meaning "to be able to" or "to manage") and "-kään" which is a clitic particle used for negation or emphasis.

The primary usage of kykenekään involves highlighting that something is true or not true to an unexpected extent. For instance, "Hän ei puhunut kykenekään sanaakaan" translates to "He didn't even say a single word." Here, kykenekään emphasizes the surprising silence. Conversely, it can be used to affirm something that is surprisingly true: "Jopa hänkin ymmärsi sen, kykenekään!" could loosely mean "Even he understood it, surprisingly!" though this latter usage is less common and more colloquial.

In its negative sense, kykenekään is a strong form of negation, implying that not even the most basic or expected action or outcome occurred. It often appears with the negative verb "ei." The addition of kykenekään intensifies the negative statement, suggesting a complete failure or absence where some minimal presence might have been anticipated. It is a common element in spoken and written Finnish, contributing to the nuances of expressing surprise or emphatic negation.