ωστόσο
Lemma: ωστόσο
Translation: however; nevertheless; nonetheless; yet; still (adverb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ὡς (hos, 'as, so') + τόσος (tosos, 'so much, so great') + the particle -ο. The compound literally means 'as much as that' or 'to such an extent', which evolved into the contrastive meaning 'however'. The word demonstrates the Greek tendency to form complex conjunctive adverbs from demonstrative elements, similar to how English 'however' combines 'how' + 'ever'.
Example Usage
Ήθελα να πάω στην παραλία, ωστόσο ο καιρός ήταν άσχημος.
I wanted to go to the beach; however, the weather was bad.
Είναι ακριβό, ωστόσο αξίζει τα χρήματά του.
It's expensive; nevertheless, it's worth the money.
Προσπάθησε πολύ, ωστόσο δεν τα κατάφερε.
He tried hard; still, he didn't succeed.
Η βροχή σταμάτησε, ωστόσο ο δρόμος είναι ακόμα βρεγμένος.
The rain stopped, however the road is still wet.
Ο μαθητής διάβασε πολύ· ωστόσο, δεν πέρασε την εξέταση.
The student studied a lot; however, he didn't pass the exam.
Η βροχή ήταν δυνατή, ωστόσο βγήκαμε έξω.
The rain was heavy, however we went outside.
Το έργο είναι δύσκολο· ωστόσο, θα το ολοκληρώσουμε.
The project is difficult; nevertheless, we will complete it.
Mnemonics
- Think 'Oh-so-SO' - when something is 'oh so' different from what was expected, you use 'however'
- Remember the 'ω-σ-ό-σ-ο' pattern - it has a rhythmic, formal sound that matches its formal register
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Commonly used in formal writing, academic texts, news articles, and formal speech. Less frequent in casual conversation where 'όμως' or 'αλλά' might be preferred. Essential for understanding Greek journalism and literature.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: Both mean 'however' but όμως is more informal and conversational, while ωστόσο is more formal and literary
This word:
Η κατάσταση είναι δύσκολη, ωστόσο υπάρχει ελπίδα.
The situation is difficult, however there is hope.
Confused word:
Θέλω να έρθω, όμως δεν μπορώ.
I want to come, but I can't.
Notes: ωστόσο often appears in written Greek and formal contexts, while όμως is the go-to choice for everyday speech
Mnemonic: ωστόσο sounds more 'weighty' and formal like 'nevertheless', όμως sounds lighter like 'but'