дарма што

Even Though with Дарма Што

Level 6Sounds Like darma što

Дарма што means even though: Дарма што было позна, дзеці не спалі. (Even though it was late, the children were not asleep.)

How It Works

Дарма што introduces a concession: a fact that you might expect to change the outcome, but it does not. It means even though or never mind that:

  • Дарма што было позна, дзеці не спалі. (Even though it was late, the children were not asleep.)
  • Хлопчык добра плавае, дарма што яму толькі шэсць гадоў. (The boy swims well, even though he is only six.)

Style. It means the same as хоць, but it sounds more lively and is common in stories and in speech. In official writing, нягледзячы на тое, што is more usual.

Position and commas. The clause can come before or after the main clause. Set it off with a comma, but keep дарма што together, with no comma inside it.

Do not drop што. On its own, дарма means in vain or for nothing: Я дарма чакаў. (I waited for nothing.) Only дарма што means even though.

Examples (5)

  1. Дарма што было позна, дзеці не спалі.

    Even though it was late, the children were not asleep.

    Word by Word: Never-mind that was late, children not slept.

  2. Ён пайшоў без курткі, дарма што на вуліцы быў мароз.

    He went out without a jacket, even though it was freezing outside.

    Word by Word: He went without jacket, never-mind that on street was frost.

  3. Хлопчык добра плавае, дарма што яму толькі шэсць гадоў.

    The boy swims well, even though he is only six.

    Word by Word: Boy well swims, never-mind that to-him only six years.

  4. Дарма што ідзе дождж, мы пойдзем гуляць.

    Never mind the rain, we will go for a walk.

    Word by Word: Never-mind that goes rain, we will-go to-walk.

  5. Яна ўсміхалася, дарма што была стомленая.

    She was smiling, even though she was tired.

    Word by Word: She smiled, never-mind that was tired.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a comma inside дарма што.

    Дарма, што было позна, дзеці не спалі.
    Дарма што было позна, дзеці не спалі.

    Дарма што is one conjunction. Put the comma only at the end of the clause.

  • Dropping што.

    Дарма было позна, дзеці не спалі.
    Дарма што было позна, дзеці не спалі.

    Without што, дарма means in vain, so the sentence no longer says even though.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

дарма штоLevel 6Even Though with Дарма Што

Learn This First

Even though follows although.

Words in This Pattern

хоць