eppure / ciò nonostante
Concessive Connectors (Eppure, Ciò Nonostante)
Eppure (and yet) and ciò nonostante (nevertheless) are connectors used to show a contradiction. Eppure often adds a sense of surprise or irony, while ciò nonostante is more formal and logical.
How It Works
In Italian, when you want to express a contrast that feels like a 'controsenso' (a contradiction), you use these connectors:
1. Eppure: This is a compound of e (and) + pure (also/even). It is very common in both speech and writing. It carries an emotional nuance, often expressing disbelief or surprise.
Example: Ha studiato molto, eppure è stato bocciato. (He studied a lot, and yet he failed.)
2. Ciò nonostante / Ciononostante: This literally means 'this notwithstanding.' It is more formal than eppure and is frequently used in academic or journalistic writing. You can write it as two words or one (ciononostante is very common today).
Example: Pioveva a dirotto. Ciò nonostante, siamo andati a correre. (It was pouring rain. Nevertheless, we went for a run.)
Key Differences:
- Register: Eppure is neutral/expressive; ciò nonostante is formal.
- Mood: Unlike nonostante (the conjunction), which requires the subjunctive, ciò nonostante (the adverbial connector) uses the indicative.
- Placement: Both usually start a new sentence or follow a semicolon/comma. They are rarely placed at the end of a sentence, unlike però.
Examples (5)
- È un uomo molto ricco, eppure vive in un piccolo appartamento.
He is a very rich man, and yet he lives in a small apartment.
Word by Word: Is a man very rich, and yet lives in a small apartment.
Here, 'eppure' highlights the surprising contradiction between being rich and living in a small space.
- Il progetto era difficile. Ciò nonostante, abbiamo finito in tempo.
The project was difficult. Nevertheless, we finished on time.
Word by Word: The project was difficult. This notwithstanding, [we] have finished in time.
'Ciò nonostante' connects two separate sentences, showing that the difficulty did not stop the completion.
- Non ci vediamo da anni, eppure mi sembra di conoscerti da sempre.
We haven't seen each other for years, and yet it feels like I've known you forever.
Word by Word: Not [ourselves] we see for years, and yet to me [it] seems to know you from always.
'Eppure' is used here to express a feeling that contradicts the physical reality of time passing.
- Ciononostante, il governo ha deciso di approvare la legge.
Nevertheless, the government decided to approve the law.
Word by Word: Nevertheless, the government has decided to approve the law.
This uses the 'univerbated' (one-word) spelling of 'ciò nonostante', which is very common in formal writing.
- «Eppur si muove!»
And yet it moves!
Word by Word: And yet [it] itself moves!
The famous quote attributed to Galileo Galilei, using a truncated form 'eppur' common in literature.
Common Mistakes
Using the subjunctive mood after 'ciò nonostante'.
Pioveva. Ciò nonostante, fossimo usciti.Pioveva. Ciò nonostante, siamo usciti.Learners often confuse the conjunction 'nonostante' (which takes the subjunctive) with the connector 'ciò nonostante' (which takes the indicative).
Confusing 'eppure' with 'oppure'.
Vuoi il caffè eppure il tè?Vuoi il caffè oppure il tè?'Oppure' means 'or', while 'eppure' means 'and yet'. They sound similar but have completely different functions.
Placing 'eppure' at the end of a sentence.
Non mi ha chiamato, eppure.Non mi ha chiamato, eppure me lo aveva promesso.While 'però' can be used at the end of a sentence in Italian, 'eppure' needs to introduce the contrasting clause that follows it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn 'eppure' and 'ciò nonostante', learners should already be comfortable with basic and intermediate ways to express contrast (like 'ma' and 'tuttavia'). Additionally, since 'ciò nonostante' literally means 'notwithstanding that', a basic understanding of demonstrative pronouns is required to understand how the connector is formed.
- comunque / tuttavia / peròContrastive Connectors (Comunque, Tuttavia, Però)
These are intermediate contrastive connectors that serve as a functional bridge between basic conjunctions and the more formal concessive connectors 'eppure' and 'ciò nonostante'.
Level 3 - questo / quelloDemonstrative Adjectives (Questo/quello)
The connector 'ciò nonostante' is built using the demonstrative pronoun 'ciò' (that/this), so understanding demonstratives is necessary to parse the structure of the phrase.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- nonostante / sebbene / benché + SubjunctiveSubjunctive with Concessive Conjunctions
These conjunctions also express concession but require the subjunctive mood, unlike 'eppure' and 'ciò nonostante'.
Level 4 - e / ma / o / perché / quindiBasic Conjunctions
Basic conjunctions like 'ma' (but) provide the foundation for understanding more complex connectors like 'eppure'.
Level 1 - Indicative vs Subjunctive
Understanding when to use the indicative (as with these connectors) versus the subjunctive is crucial for advanced Italian.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Sources
Practice eppure / ciò nonostante in Bubblegum
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