сепак / меѓутоа / напротив

Contrast Connectors

Level 5Sounds Like sepak; meǵutoa; naprotiv

Сепак = still, nevertheless: Беше тешко, сепак успеавме. (It was hard, but we still succeeded.) Меѓутоа = however. Напротив = on the contrary.

How It Works

Сепак: still, nevertheless, after all.

  • Беше тешко, сепак успеавме. (It was hard, but we still succeeded.)
  • With но or а: Многу сакаше да дојде, но сепак не дојде. (He really wanted to come, but in the end he did not.)
  • After an иако clause: Иако беше уморен, сепак дојде. (Although he was tired, he still came.) After an иако clause, Macedonian often adds сепак, much as English adds "still".
  • Inside a sentence it can mean "after all": Тоа е сепак само дете. (It is only a child, after all.)

Сепак does not mean "still" in the sense of "continuing". For that, use сѐ уште: Тој сѐ уште спие. (He is still sleeping.)

Меѓутоа: however. It links two contrasting ideas like но, but it is more formal. It often starts a new sentence and is followed by a comma: Планот е добар. Меѓутоа, немаме доволно пари. (The plan is good. However, we do not have enough money.) It can also join two clauses after a comma: Станот е убав, меѓутоа е многу скап. (The flat is nice; however, it is very expensive.)

Напротив: on the contrary. It rejects a statement or an expectation and gives the opposite: Не е досадно, напротив, многу е интересно. (It is not boring; on the contrary, it is very interesting.) It can also be a short answer: Лут ли си? Напротив! (Are you angry? Quite the opposite!) When you simply replace one word with another, use туку: Не е студент, туку професор.

Commas. A comma comes before меѓутоа when it joins two clauses, as before но; see commas before contrast words.

Examples (6)

  1. Беше тешко, сепак успеавме.

    It was hard, but we still succeeded.

    Word by Word: Was hard, nevertheless succeeded-we.

  2. Иако беше уморен, сепак дојде.

    Although he was tired, he still came.

    Word by Word: Although was tired, nevertheless came.

    Macedonian often adds сепак after an иако clause, much as English adds "still".

  3. Многу сакаше да дојде, но сепак не дојде.

    He really wanted to come, but in the end he did not.

    Word by Word: Much wanted to come, but nevertheless not came.

  4. Планот е добар. Меѓутоа, немаме доволно пари.

    The plan is good. However, we do not have enough money.

    Word by Word: Plan-the is good. However, not-have-we enough money.

  5. Не е досадно, напротив, многу е интересно.

    It is not boring; on the contrary, it is very interesting.

    Word by Word: Not is boring, on-contrary, very is interesting.

  6. Не ми пречи, напротив, ми е драго.

    It does not bother me; on the contrary, I am glad.

    Word by Word: Not to-me bothers, on-contrary, to-me is dear.

Common Mistakes

  • Using напротив as a plain "but".

    Сакав да дојдам, напротив, немав време.
    Сакав да дојдам, но немав време.

    Напротив brings in the opposite of what was said or expected. Having no time is not the opposite of wanting to come, so use но.

  • Using сепак for "still" in the sense of "continuing".

    Тој сепак спие. (meaning: He is still sleeping.)
    Тој сѐ уште спие.

    Сепак means "still" only in the sense of "nevertheless", so the first sentence means "He is sleeping anyway". For something that is continuing, use сѐ уште.

How It Connects

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

сепак / меѓутоа / напротивLevel 5Contrast Connectors

Learn This First

Contrast connectors follow although.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

сепакнапротив