ทว่า

But and However with ทว่า

Level 5

ทว่า links contrasting points. The examples contrast a smile with sad eyes, recovery with inequality, and effort with disappointing results.

How It Works

Read The Contrast
ทว่า is a conjunction with the sense of ‘but’ or ‘however.’ It links the following point to a contrasting point already supplied by the sentence or surrounding text.

The Complete Examples
The first sentence places a smile alongside sadness visible in the eyes. The economy sentence places signs of recovery alongside the continuing obstacle of inequality. The work sentence contrasts effort with a result that fell short of hope. The content supplies these contrasts; the connector does not require every sentence to be poetic, dramatic, or ironic.

Notice Other Words
Two examples also contain กลับ in the following clause. This shows that combination in these sentences; it does not measure its frequency in modern prose.

Compare The Requested Wording
The shopping card requests the version with แต่. Both displayed versions connect wanting to go shopping with having no money; the first is not a universal grammar error. The name-question card requests a topic-change expression with ว่าแต่. Read that whole discourse move separately: replacing its opening with ทว่า gives a contrastive connector, not the requested ‘by the way’ wording.

Examples (3)

  1. ใบหน้าของเธอประดับด้วยรอยยิ้ม ทว่า แววตากลับเศร้าหมองอย่างเห็นได้ชัด

    Her face was adorned with a smile, yet her eyes were clearly filled with sadness.

    Word by Word: Face of her adorn with smile, yet look-in-eyes return sad clearly.

    The sentence contrasts the smile on her face with the sadness visible in her eyes. The description supplies the contrast; ทว่า does not by itself require poetic irony.

  2. เศรษฐกิจมีแนวโน้มจะฟื้นตัว ทว่า ปัญหาความเหลื่อมล้ำยังคงเป็นอุปสรรคสำคัญ

    The economy shows signs of recovery; however, the issue of inequality remains a major obstacle.

    Word by Word: Economy have trend will recover, however problem inequality still remain be obstacle important.

    The sentence contrasts signs of economic recovery with inequality that remains an obstacle.

  3. เขาทุ่มเททำงานอย่างหนัก ทว่า ผลลัพธ์ที่ได้กลับไม่เป็นไปตามที่หวัง

    He dedicated himself to working hard, yet the results were not as he had hoped.

    Word by Word: He dedicate work very hard, yet result that get return not be according-to that hope.

    The word ทว่า highlights the gap between his effort and the disappointing outcome.

Common Mistakes

  • Use แต่ In The Requested Shopping Statement.

    อยากไปห้าง ทว่า ไม่มีเงิน
    อยากไปห้าง แต่ไม่มีเงิน

    The task requests อยากไปห้าง แต่ไม่มีเงิน. Both displayed versions connect wanting to go shopping with having no money. Choosing the requested version does not establish that the sentence with ทว่า is ungrammatical or forbidden in conversation.

  • Use The Displayed Topic-Change Expression ว่าแต่.

    ทว่า คุณชื่ออะไรนะครับ
    ว่าแต่ คุณชื่ออะไรนะครับ

    For the requested ‘by the way’ move before asking a name, use the complete displayed expression ว่าแต่ คุณชื่ออะไรนะครับ. ทว่า instead supplies a contrastive link; any suitable contrast would need the preceding context. The card does not judge every possible conversation containing the first wording.

How It Connects

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

ทว่าLevel 5But and However with ทว่า

Learn This First

ทว่า is a high-level literary conjunction used to express contrast. To understand it, learners should already be familiar with the basic word for 'but' (แต่), the general concept of formal written Thai versus everyday speech, and how formal sentences are structured using literary connectors.

Words in This Pattern

ทว่า