vaan

From Middle Dutch vāne, from Old Dutch *fano, from Proto-Germanic *fanô.

• IPA^(key): /vaːn/

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• Hyphenation: vaan
• Rhymes: -aːn

vaan f or n (plural vanen, diminutive vaantje n)

1. vane, small flag (often pointed or pronged)
2. banner, battle standard

   Synonyms: banier, krijgsstandaard, standaard

3. weathervane

   Synonyms: windvaan, windwijzer

4. (historical, otherwise archaic) A measure of volume for beer and other drinks, equivalent to about 5 litres.

Originally a dialectal and interchangeable variant of vain (specifically perhaps originally from the singular instructive *vajan, or directly from the plural instructive form, compare pohjaanen < *pohjainen, standard pohjoinen). A singular instructive of vaka is another possibility. The differences in use were introduced as a part of the standard language. Has also been compared with Middle Low German wan (“only, if; but; if only”), which is probably not the direct origin (as asserted by some) but likely served as a reinforcing influence.

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋɑːn/, [ˈʋɑ̝ːn]
• Rhymes: -ɑːn
• Syllabification^(key): vaan

vaan

1. (coordinating) but (... instead), (but) rather (introducing a word or clause in contrast or contradiction with the preceding negative clause or sentence, wholly rejecting that clause)

   Near-synonym: mutta

   Se ei ole musta, vaan punainen.

   It is not black, but red.

2. (coordinating) yet, but (but, however; introducing a clause contrary to prior belief or in contrast with the preceding clause or sentence; generally implies a more subjective statement on part of the speaker than mutta)

   Near-synonym: mutta

   Vaan kuinka väärässä olinkaan.

   Yet how wrong I was.

vaan (colloquial)

1. Alternative form of vain (all senses)

   Elämä on unta vaan. [Elämä on unta vain.]

   Life is but a dream.

   Sä annoit mulle vaan kaks’ euroo. [(Sinä) annoit minulle vain kaksi euroa.]

   You gave to me only two euros.

• “vaan”, 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 2023-07-04

• vana