mutta

Finnish

Etymology

From muu (“other”), either based on the abessive singular form (muutta, as if "without something else", "not to mention something else"), the partitive singular form (muuta: "something else"; the -uu- would have first been shortened and the final vowel elided, thus mut(t) with reanalysis as mutta) or (rejected by SKRK) from the -tta suffix indicating adverbs of manner ("regarding something else"). Compare Ingrian mut, Karelian muuta.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmutːɑ/,
• Rhymes: -utːɑ
• Syllabification^(key): mut‧ta

Conjunction

mutta

1. (coordinating) but (introducing a clause contrary to prior belief or in contrast with the preceding clause or sentence)

   Near-synonym: vaan

   Olisin halunnut lähteä heidän mukaansa, mutta en ehtinyt.

   I would have wanted to go with them, but I didn't have the time.

   Hän on nyt työmatkalla mutta palaa huomenna.

   He is on a business trip right now, but will come back tomorrow.

   Se ruoka on hyvää mutta myös terveellistä.

   The food was good but also healthy.

   Mutta kuvittelepa maailma, jossa ei olisi ilmastonmuutosta.

   But imagine, if you like, a world where climate change did not exist.

2. (coordinating) but (however/still/at least) (introducing a word or clause in contrast or contradiction with the preceding negative clause or sentence, but in such a way that the preceding clause is not wholly rejected)

   Near-synonym: vaan

   Kirja ei ollut paras lukemani, mutta ihan hyvä.

   The book wasn't the best I have read, but (still) pretty good.

Usage notes

Noun

mutta (informal)

1. (idiomatic) ifs, ands, or buts (in a negative phrase, used like noun only in partitive plural muttia with qualifier mitään) (modifications, limitations, or addenda; qualifications of any kind; speculations about whether a particular idea or enterprise is good, doubts)

   En halua kuulla mitään muttia!

   I don't want to hear any ifs, ands or buts!

   Ei mitään muttia!

   No ifs, ands or buts!

Further reading

• “mutta”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-03

Anagrams

• tumat

Italian

Adjective

mutta f sg

1. feminine singular of mutto, alternative form of muto (“mute”)

Pali

Alternative forms

Adjective

mutta

1. past participle of muñcati (“to release”)
2. freed

Declension

Noun

mutta n

1. urine

Declension

As the neuter of the adjective.

Derived terms

• muttā
• gomutta
• pūtimutta

References

Pali Text Society (1921–1925) “mutta”, in Pali-English Dictionary‎, London: Chipstead

Swedish

Noun

mutta c

1. (vulgar, colloquial) cunt, the female genitalia.

Declension

Synonyms

Further reading

• mutta in Svensk ordbok.

Anagrams

• mutat