pienintäkään

pienintäkään is a Finnish word that translates to "the smallest," "not even the slightest," or "not even a tiny bit." It is formed by combining the superlative form of the adjective "pieni" (small), which is "pienin" (smallest), with the postposition "kään" (which adds emphasis and a sense of negation, often translated as "even" or "at all"). Therefore, pienintäkään literally means "the smallest even" or "not even the smallest."

The word is commonly used in negative sentences to emphasize the complete absence of something, no matter how small. For instance, "En nähnyt pienintäkään virhettä" translates to "I didn't see the smallest mistake" or "I didn't see even the slightest mistake." It conveys that not a single trace or instance of the thing being discussed was present.

pienintäkään can also be used to express a lack of any degree of a quality or feeling. For example, "Hänellä ei ollut pienintäkään epäilystä" means "He didn't have the slightest doubt." This usage highlights the absolute certainty or lack of reservation in a person's mind.

The word's grammatical function is typically as an adjective modifying a noun, or as part of a phrase that functions adverbially. Its strong negative and emphatic meaning makes it a useful tool in the Finnish language for precise expression.