Learn Hardcore Finnish: Olen väsynyt, mutta silti jatkan opiskelua. - I am tired, but I still continue studying.

In Finnish the subject pronoun is optional because the verb ending already shows the person. Olen literally means “I am,” so minä (I) is understood and usually dropped to sound more natural.

What do mutta and silti mean, and why are they used together?

mutta = “but”
silti = “still” or “nevertheless”
Using mutta silti strengthens the contrast: “I’m tired, but nevertheless I continue studying.” You could use just one (e.g. mutta jatkan or silti jatkan), but both together add emphasis.

Can I move silti to a different position in the sentence?

Yes. Finnish word order is relatively flexible. All of these work:
• Olen väsynyt, mutta silti jatkan opiskelua.
• Olen väsynyt, mutta jatkan silti opiskelua.
• Olen väsynyt, silti jatkan opiskelua.
Changing the spot of silti shifts the emphasis slightly (on the action, on the contrast, etc.) but the core meaning remains.

Why is opiskelua in the partitive case?

1) Verbs like jatkaa (“to continue”) require their object in the partitive.
2) When talking about an ongoing, incomplete action (studying), Finnish uses the partitive to show that the process is not finished.
The basic noun is opiskelu (“study”), and its partitive singular form is opiskelua.

Could I say jatkan opiskelemista instead of jatkan opiskelua?

Yes. Opiskelemista is a verbal noun (third infinitive in the partitive) meaning “the act of studying.” Both jatkan opiskelua and jatkan opiskelemista are grammatically correct and convey “I continue studying,” though opiskelemista slightly underlines the action/process.

Why not just say opiskelen silti (“I’m studying nevertheless”)?

You can! Opiskelen silti means “I study/studying nevertheless.” Finnish doesn’t have a separate continuous tense, so opiskelen covers both “I study” and “I am studying.”
Using jatkan opiskelua specifically highlights that you are continuing something you started earlier, whereas opiskelen simply states the action itself.