tomēr

However: Tomēr

Level 3

Use tomēr when the second part is a surprise after the first: Bija auksti, tomēr mēs peldējāmies (It was cold, but we swam anyway).

How It Works

1. Joining two clauses. Put a comma before tomēr: Bija auksti, tomēr mēs peldējāmies. It can also follow bet: Bija auksti, bet mēs tomēr peldējāmies.

2. Starting a sentence. Tomēr links a sentence to what came before, like English However: Dzīvoklis ir mazs. Tomēr tas ir ļoti mājīgs. (The flat is small. However, it is very cosy.)

3. Inside a clause. Here it means anyway, still or after all: Es tomēr palikšu mājās (I will stay home after all). Tu tomēr atnāci! (You came after all!)

4. After an although-clause. The main clause after lai gan often has tomēr: Lai gan līst, mēs tomēr brauksim uz jūru (Although it is raining, we will still go to the seaside).

5. Similar words. Bet (but) is the plain contrast. Taču is close to tomēr. Tāpēc (so) is the opposite: it gives an expected result, not a surprise.

Examples (5)

  1. Bija auksti, tomēr mēs peldējāmies.

    It was cold, but we swam anyway.

    Swimming is a surprise after the cold, so tomēr fits.

  2. Tu tomēr atnāci!

    You came after all!

  3. Dzīvoklis ir mazs. Tomēr tas ir ļoti mājīgs.

    The flat is small. However, it is very cosy.

    Tomēr at the start links the sentence to the one before.

  4. Es biju noguris, bet tomēr aizgāju uz treniņu.

    I was tired, but I still went to training.

    Bet tomēr together is common.

  5. Lai gan līst, mēs tomēr brauksim uz jūru.

    Although it is raining, we will still go to the seaside.

Common Mistakes

  • Using tomēr for an expected result.

    Bija auksti, tomēr mēs palikām mājās.
    Bija auksti, tāpēc mēs palikām mājās.

    The first sentence is grammatical, but it says that staying home was surprising. For a result you would expect, use tāpēc (so).

  • Leaving out the comma when tomēr joins two clauses.

    Bija auksti tomēr mēs peldējāmies.
    Bija auksti, tomēr mēs peldējāmies.

    When tomēr links two clauses, a comma goes before it.

How It Connects

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

tomērLevel 3However: Tomēr

Learn This First

Tomēr often answers lai gan.

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