likväl

Likväl is a Hebrew adverb meaning “nevertheless,” “yet,” or “even so.” It functions as a concessive or counterbalancing marker, signaling a contrast between what has been stated and what follows. In both biblical and modern Hebrew, likväl retains a sense of softening or balancing a preceding assertion, rather than presenting a straightforward continuation.

In usage, likväl is typically placed at the beginning of a clause or sentence to introduce a counterpoint. The nuance depends on context, intonation, and punctuation, but it generally privileges a remaining truth or outcome despite prior claim, doubt, or expectation. It is considered a literary or formal marker rather than a common colloquial filler, and it appears with greater frequency in prose, poetry, liturgical text, and written discourse than in casual speech.

Historically, likväl appears in classical Hebrew texts and has continued into Rabbinic and modern Hebrew. Its role as a concessive conjunction makes it a familiar device for authors and speakers who wish to acknowledge an opposing view or an unresolved point while moving the argument forward. Because translation and nuance can shift with context, exact English equivalents range from “nevertheless” to “still” to “even so.”

See also: Hebrew language, Concessive clauses, Transitional expressions in Hebrew.