ändå

ändå is a Swedish adverb and discourse particle used to express concession or contrast. It roughly corresponds to the English words "anyway," "nevertheless," or "even so." It signals that something happens or is true despite expectations, objections, or a preceding statement.

As a sentence adverb or linking element, ändå can modify an entire clause or connect two clauses to show contrast. Examples: “Det regnade, ändå gick vi ut.” (It rained; we still went out.) “Hon var trött, ändå fortsatte hon att arbeta.” (She was tired, yet she continued to work.) “Det var dyrt, ändå var det värt det.” (It was expensive, but it was worth it.) “Det var ändå en bra idé.” (It was still a good idea.) The nuance is mild and often pragmatic, signaling persistence or a counterpoint to expectations.

Usage notes and style: ända is common in spoken Swedish and informal writing, where speakers want to acknowledge a hurdle but proceed anyway. In more formal writing, alternatives such as trots det, trots allt, eller även så may be preferred. Positionally, ändå can appear after the main clause (gick ändå ut) or between clauses (Det regnade, ändå gick vi ut). Its use tends to soften or balance a statement, rather than strongly contradict it, and it is generally considered a neutral to positive marker in discourse.