Breakdown of Vaikka sataa, minä menen kuitenkin puistoon.
minä
I
mennä
to go
puisto
the park
sataa
to rain
vaikka
even though
-oon
to
kuitenkin
anyway
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Questions & Answers about Vaikka sataa, minä menen kuitenkin puistoon.
What does the word vaikka do in this sentence?
Vaikka introduces a concessive clause: although/even though. With the conditional, vaikka means even if: Vaikka sataisi, menisin puistoon = Even if it rained, I would go to the park.
Why is there no subject like “it” in sataa?
Finnish doesn’t use a dummy subject for weather. Sataa is a 3rd‑person singular impersonal verb meaning it rains/it’s raining. Alternatives you may hear are On sateista (it’s rainy) and Sataa vettä/lunta (it’s raining water/snowing).
Why is the present tense menen used for the future?
Finnish has no separate future tense. Menen can mean I go, I’m going, or I will go; context gives the time.
Is the comma necessary?
Yes. A subordinate clause is separated by a comma:
- Vaikka sataa, menen kuitenkin puistoon.
- Menen kuitenkin puistoon, vaikka sataa.
Do I need to say the pronoun minä?
No. The verb ending already marks person. Menen kuitenkin puistoon is neutral. Minä menen... adds emphasis to the subject (it’s me who is going).
Where can I place kuitenkin?
It’s flexible; common options:
- Menen kuitenkin puistoon. (most neutral)
- Minä kuitenkin menen puistoon. (emphasizes the subject)
- Kuitenkin menen puistoon. (fronted for contrast)
- Menen puistoon kuitenkin. (end focus; informal) Avoid putting kuitenkin inside the vaikka-clause.
Is kuitenkin the same as silti?
They overlap. Both mean however/nevertheless/still. Silti feels a bit punchier and often comes first: Silti menen puistoon. Kuitenkin is slightly more neutral: Menen kuitenkin puistoon.
What does the ending in puistoon mean?
It’s the illative case (movement into). Compare:
- puistoon = to/into the park
- puistossa = in the park
- puistosta = out of the park
- puistolle = to the park area/surface (less usual here)
Why is the vowel doubled in puistoon?
Illative formation for words ending in -o/-ö doubles that vowel and adds -n:
- puisto → puistoon
- talo → taloon
- auto → autoon Pronounce the double vowel long.
What’s the difference between vaikka sataa and vaikka sataisi?
- Vaikka sataa: Although it is (actually) raining.
- Vaikka sataisi: Even if it rained (hypothetical). This often pairs with a conditional main verb: menisin.
Can I use kun instead of vaikka?
No. Kun sataa means when/whenever it rains (time/condition). Vaikka sataa means although/even though it rains (concession).
Can I omit kuitenkin?
Yes. Vaikka sataa, menen puistoon already expresses concession. Kuitenkin adds the explicit idea of anyway/nevertheless.
How do I express the vs a park in Finnish?
Finnish has no articles. Puistoon can mean either to a park or to the park. Use demonstratives for specificity: siihen/tuohon/seeseen puistoon (to that park), or rely on context.
How do I pronounce the tricky parts?
- vaikka: [vaik‑ka], long kk
- sataa: long aa
- kuitenkin: [kui‑ten‑kin], stress on the first syllable
- puistoon: [puis‑toon], long oo Finnish stress is always on the first syllable.
Is kuitenkin related to the clitic -kin?
They look similar but are different.
- -kin attaches to a word: minäkin (me too), puistoonkin (to the park as well), meninkin (I did end up going).
- kuitenkin is a separate adverb meaning however/nevertheless.
Why not say sataa vettä here?
You can. Sataa already implies it’s raining. Sataa vettä just specifies the precipitation. To name other types: sataa lunta (snowing), sataa räntää (sleeting).