nogtans/nietemin
Nevertheless
Show a surprising result: Hy was siek; nogtans het hy gewerk. (He was ill; nevertheless he worked.) The verb comes right after nogtans.
How It Works
1. Meaning. Both words link to the sentence before and say "in spite of that". Nogtans and nietemin mean the same thing, and both are formal. In speech, people usually say tog or maar ... tog: Hy was siek, maar hy het tog gewerk.
2. Verb second. At the start of a clause they take first place, so the verb comes next, before the subject:
- Die toets was moeilik. Nietemin het die meeste leerders geslaag.
3. Not verb-final. Nogtans is not like hoewel. Hoewel sends the verb to the end, but nogtans keeps the verb in second place.
4. After the verb. They can also stand in the middle of the clause: Ons glo nietemin dat dit die moeite werd is.
5. Punctuation. They often follow a semicolon or a full stop. After en or maar they still bring the verb forward: ... en nogtans het die skare opgedaag.
Examples (5)
- Hy was siek; nogtans het hy gewerk.
He was ill; nevertheless, he worked.
Word by Word: He was sick; nevertheless has he worked.
- Die toets was baie moeilik. Nietemin het die meeste leerders geslaag.
The test was very hard. Nevertheless, most learners passed.
Word by Word: The test was very difficult. Nevertheless have the most learners passed.
- Die plan het risiko's. Ons glo nietemin dat dit die moeite werd is.
The plan has risks. We nevertheless believe that it is worth the effort.
Word by Word: The plan has risks. We believe nevertheless that it the trouble worth is.
Here nietemin comes after the verb, so the subject stays first.
- Dit het die hele dag gereën, en nogtans het die skare opgedaag.
It rained all day, and yet the crowd turned up.
Word by Word: It has the whole day rained, and nevertheless has the crowd up-turned.
- Die span het verloor; nietemin is die afrigter trots op hulle.
The team lost; nevertheless, the coach is proud of them.
Word by Word: The team has lost; nevertheless is the coach proud of them.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the subject before the verb after nogtans.
Hy was siek; nogtans hy het gewerk.Hy was siek; nogtans het hy gewerk.Nogtans takes first place, so the verb het comes next and the subject hy follows.
Sending the verb to the end, as with hoewel.
Hy was siek; nogtans hy gewerk het.Hy was siek; nogtans het hy gewerk.Only subordinating conjunctions such as hoewel send the verb to the end. Nogtans is an adverb, so the verb comes second.
Treating nietemin like English "nevertheless," with a comma and no inversion.
Nietemin, die meeste leerders het geslaag.Nietemin het die meeste leerders geslaag.In Afrikaans nietemin is part of the clause. The verb het must follow it directly.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Nogtans and nietemin trigger inversion, like daarom.
Related Patterns
- Verb Second After a Fronted Word
Nogtans and nietemin follow the verb-second rule for words in first place.
Level 2 - derhalwe/gevolglikFormal Therefore: Derhalwe and Gevolglik
Formal linking words for a result, used with the same word order.
Level 5 - hoewel/alhoewelAlthough
Hoewel expresses the same contrast from the other side, with the verb at the end.
Level 3 - tog
The everyday word for "yet" or "still".
Level 3 - maarBut
Maar is the plain word for "but" and does not change the word order.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice nogtans/nietemin in Bubblegum
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