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Finnish

To describe impressive, multidisciplinary talents, you will often want to emphasize that someone or something possesses more than one exceptional quality. In Finnish, you can link these parallel ideas using the correlative conjunction **ei ainoastaan... vaan myös** (not only... but also).

### The Core Components

Let's first look at the key vocabulary word that makes up the first half of this structure:

{{item:964152}}

This grammar pattern combines the negative verb (**ei**) with **ainoastaan**, followed by **vaan** (the strong "but" used to counter a negative statement) and **myös** (also). Just like in English, it is used to connect two parallel words, phrases, or clauses.

### Linking Traits and Nouns

When connecting two nouns or adjectives, the structure frames them perfectly. Remember that the negative verb *ei* must agree with the subject, though when talking about a third-person singular person or thing, it remains *ei*.

{{item:964155}}

{{item:964164}}

### Linking Actions

You can also use this structure to connect two parallel verbs, highlighting that a virtuoso or multitalent performs multiple impressive actions.

{{item:964158}}

{{item:964172}}

### Separating "vaan" and "myös"

While **vaan** and **myös** frequently sit right next to each other, they do not have to. If the second half of your sentence restates the subject pronoun or uses a different main verb for clarity, **myös** typically shifts to follow that pronoun or verb.

{{item:964161}}

{{item:964173}}

Not only... but also (ei ainoastaan... vaan myös)

adjective

adposition

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

postposition

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstrative pronouns (tämä, tuo, se)

Singular personal pronouns (minä, sinä, hän)

Plural personal pronouns (me, te, he)

Plural demonstratives (nämä, nuo, ne)

Coordinating conjunctions (ja, mutta, tai)

Yes/no questions (-ko / -kö)

Basic question words (kuka, mikä, missä)

Negation of to be (en ole, ei ole)

The inessive case (-ssa / -ssä)

Double consonant gradation (kk, pp, tt)

Consonant gradation (-ssa/-ssä)

Verb Type 1 (puhun, puhut, puhuu)

Verb Type 1 with consonant gradation

Negative verbs (en puhu, et lue)

External location (-lla/-llä)

There is / there are (kaupungissa on)

Possession (minulla on)

Numbers 1 to 10 (yksi, kaksi, kolme)

The partitive singular (-a/-ä, -ta/-tä)

Quantities with numbers (kaksi autoa)

Negative possession (ei ole)

Numbers 11 to 100 and 1000

Partitive verbs

Partitive personal pronouns (minua, sinua)

Verb Type 2 (-da/-dä)

Partitive for mass nouns (-a/-ä, -ta/-tä)

Partitive for negative objects

Adjective agreement

Verb Type 3

The elative case (-sta/-stä)

Negative possession (minulla ei ole…)

The illative case (-Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Numbers 21 to 99

Static vs. movement verbs

Verb Type 4 (-Vta / -Vtä)

Verb Type 5 (-ita / -itä)

Genitive singular for possession (-n)

Total object (-n)

Accusative personal pronouns (-t)

Obligation (täytyy)

Into places (-Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Postpositions with the genitive

My and your (-ni, -si)

Onto and to someone (-lle)

From someone or somewhere (-lta, -ltä)

Telling time (kello on...)

Months of the year (-ssa, -ssä)

Days of the week (-na, -nä)

When and why (milloin, miksi)

The illative case (mihin, -Vn, -hVn, -seen)

Past tense of to be (olin, olit, oli)

The seasons (kevät, kesä, syksy, talvi)

The imperative mood (lue!, syö!, mene!)

The past tense of to be (olin, oli)

The illative case (-hVn, -seen)

Greetings and goodbyes (hei, näkemiin)

Thank you and sorry (kiitos, anteeksi)

Liking things (pitää / tykätä + -sta/-stä)

Temporary states and roles (-na/-nä)

Change of state (-ksi)

Ongoing actions (-massa/-mässä)

Going to do an action (-maan/-mään)

Returning from an action (-masta/-mästä)

Third-person possessives (-nsa/-nsä or -Vn)

Plural possessives (-mme, -nne)

Indefinite pronouns (joku, jokin, kaikki)

Negative indefinite pronouns (ei kukaan, ei mikään)

Commands for verb types 4 and 5

Adverb formation (-sti)

Past tense for verb type 1 (-i-)

Past tense vowel changes for verb type 1 (-o- / -i-)

Past tense for verb type 2 (-i-)

Past tense for verb type 3 (-i-)

Past tense for verb type 4 (-si-)

Past tense for verb type 5 (-itsi-)

Past tense consonant gradation

Past participles for verb types 1 and 2 (-nut / -nyt)

Past participle singular for verb types 3-5 (-nnut, -llut)

Active past participle plural (-neet)

Past tense negative (en mennyt, emme olleet)

The perfect tense (olen ollut)

The perfect tense negative (en ole nähnyt)

Total plural objects (-t)

Partitive plural (-ia / -iä)

Partitive plural (-ja / -jä)

Question	Answer
only (solely, exclusively)	ainoastaan
talented	lahjakas
multitalent	monilahjakkuus
She is not only a talented singer but also a true multitalent.	Hän ei ole ainoastaan lahjakas laulaja, vaan myös todellinen monilahjakkuus.
virtuoso	virtuoosi
to dazzle	häikäistä
This virtuoso not only dazzles the audience but also surprises the experts.	Tämä virtuoosi ei ainoastaan häikäise yleisöä, vaan myös yllättää asiantuntijat.
to write lyrics	sanoittaa
choreography	koreografia
The director not only writes lyrics for the songs, but he also creates the whole choreography.	Ohjaaja ei ainoastaan sanoita kappaleita, vaan hän luo myös koko koreografian.
breakthrough	läpimurto
masterpiece	mestariteos
The film was not only his breakthrough but also a true masterpiece.	Elokuva ei ollut ainoastaan hänen läpimurtonsa, vaan myös todellinen mestariteos.
phenomenal	ilmiömäinen
The band became a phenomenal success because every member is talented.	Bändistä tuli ilmiömäinen menestys, koska jokainen jäsen on lahjakas.
This multitalent made her great breakthrough only yesterday.	Tämä monilahjakkuus teki suuren läpimurtonsa vasta eilen.
The virtuoso dazzled us, and his new work is a masterpiece.	Virtuoosi häikäisi meidät, ja hänen uusi teoksensa on mestariteos.
She not only writes lyrics for phenomenal songs but also designs the choreographies.	Hän ei ainoastaan sanoita ilmiömäisiä lauluja, vaan myös suunnittelee koreografiat.
Neither actor performs only comedy, but also drama.	Kumpikaan näyttelijä ei esitä ainoastaan komediaa, vaan myös draamaa.
He is not only a singer but also a phenomenal virtuoso.	Hän ei ole ainoastaan laulaja vaan myös ilmiömäinen virtuoosi.
This multidisciplinary talent not only sings but also composes.	Tämä monilahjakkuus ei ainoastaan laula vaan myös säveltää.
The masterpiece not only dazzles, but it is also a breakthrough.	Mestariteos ei ainoastaan häikäise, vaan se on myös läpimurto.
This phenomenal dancer not only performs but also creates the choreography.	Tämä ilmiömäinen tanssija ei ainoastaan esiinny vaan myös luo koreografian.