yhdellekään

yhdellekään is a Finnish word that functions as a negative indefinite pronoun. It is the allative singular form of the indefinite pronoun "yksi" (one), combined with the negative particle "ken" (who/whom, in a negative context). Literally translated, it means "to not even one" or "for not even one."

In Finnish grammar, yhdellekään is used to express the idea that something applies to no individual person or thing within a given group or context. It emphasizes the absolute absence of any recipient or target for an action or state. For example, "En antanut yhdellekään kirjaa" translates to "I did not give the book to even one person." The pronoun signifies that the book was not given to any single individual.

This word is crucial for conveying negation effectively in Finnish when referring to singular instances. It contrasts with other negative indefinite pronouns like "kenenkään" (nobody's) or "ketään" (nobody/anybody, in a negative context). The allative case here indicates the direction or recipient of an action. Therefore, yhdellekään is specifically used when the verb or sentence structure implies movement towards or relevance for a singular entity, and that entity is negated. Its usage is common in spoken and written Finnish.