Breakdown of Pelosta huolimatta en antanut periksi.
ei
no / not (en, et, ei, emme, ette, eivät)
huolimatta
despite
pelko
fear
antaa periksi
to give up (to yield, give in)
Questions & Answers about Pelosta huolimatta en antanut periksi.
Why does the word for fear, pelko, take the -sta ending here?
This ties into the lesson's main topic. The word huolimatta (despite) usually acts as a postposition that requires the attached noun to be in the elative case (-sta/-stä). Therefore, pelko becomes pelosta.
Where did the 'k' go in the word pelosta?
The base noun is pelko (fear). When we add the two-letter elative ending -sta, it closes the final syllable (pe-los-ta). This triggers consonant gradation, causing the strong consonant cluster lk to weaken to just l.
Can I place huolimatta before the noun instead of after it?
Yes, you can! Huolimatta is one of those flexible adpositions that can act as either a postposition (pelosta huolimatta) or a preposition (huolimatta pelosta). The meaning remains exactly the same, though the postposition order is generally more common.
How does antaa periksi translate to 'give up'?
This is a highly common fixed idiom. The verb is antaa (to give), and the root word of periksi is perä (rear or back) in the translative case (-ksi). Literally, it implies 'giving to the rear' or 'yielding ground', but it is best simply memorized as a set phrase meaning 'to give up' or 'to give in'.