pitäkää tunkkinne

Finnish

Etymology

From an old joke or anecdote (with many variations) about a man who gets a flat tyre while driving in the remote countryside. He walks a long distance trying to get help and eventually comes across a farmhouse. He knocks on the door to ask for a jack to help him replace the tyre, but has by then grown so aggravated and pessimistic that when the door opens, he only exclaims "you know what, keep your damn jack!" Some sources state the story may have originated with or popularized by Danny Thomas.

Phrase

pitäkää tunkkinne (literally, “keep your jack”) (colloquial)

1. Used to express giving up trying to get something due to being fed up with the process of trying to acquire it; (just) keep it, keep the thing, I'm not going to get/buy it; I'll let you/them have it

   Vai että minunko pitäisi maksaa satanen tuosta? Pitäkää tunkkinne!

   Oh, you say that'll cost me a hundred (dollars/euros/etc.)? Keep the damn thing!

2. Used to express giving up in general; screw this, I won't bother

Usage notes

A singular form pidä tunkkisi and a verb pitää tunkkinsa also exist, but are still rare.