tuttavia
/tut.taˈvi.a/
The Italian word for 'however' is tuttavia.
tuttavia is used to express contrast, functioning as an adverb to mean 'however'.
Meaning: no matter how (adv)
Which one should you use?
While tuttavia is a valid way to express 'however', the word però is much more common in everyday spoken Italian to express 'however' or 'but'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tuttavia is a relatively formal way to say 'however' compared to more common spoken alternatives. If you are looking for an informal way to say 'however', you should use però.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adverb, tuttavia can be placed at the beginning of a sentence or after the verb to express contrast.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tut.taˈvi.a/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- While tuttavia is used for contrast in Italian, its close relative todavía in Spanish is used to mean 'still'.
- The word tuttavia is built from the Latin words for 'all' and 'way', literally meaning 'along the whole way'.
- If you want to sound like a local, you can often move the word però to the very end of a sentence, something you cannot do with tuttavia.
Examples in context
- Tuttavia, non ho denaro.However, I have no money.This sentence shows how to use tuttavia to introduce a negative statement about money.Tatoeba #5103832 by Guybrush88, translation #53632 by orcrist
- Tuttavia, non sono così forte come sembro.However, I'm not as strong as I look.This sentence demonstrates using tuttavia to contrast appearance with reality.Tatoeba #13077261 by Nuel, translation #13077260 by Nuel
- Tom ha soldi. Tuttavia, non è poi così felice.Tom has money. However, he's not all that happy.This sentence shows how to use tuttavia to connect two contrasting facts about a person.Tatoeba #8467402 by Guybrush88, translation #1075504 by CK
- Mi piace il calcio. Tuttavia, non guardo molte partite in televisioneI like soccer, however, I don't watch many matches on television
- Ho studiato molto per l'esame. Ciononostante, ho ottenuto un punteggio bassoI studied a lot for the exam, however, I got a low score
- Non mi piace il caldo. Ad ogni modo, ho deciso di andare in vacanza a luglioI don't like the heat. However, I decided to go on vacation in July
- Non ho voglia di uscire stasera. Comunque, ti posso aiutare con i compiti?I don't feel like going out tonight. However, can I help you with your homework?
- Mi piace correre all'aperto. Per contro, non mi piace la palestraI enjoy running outdoors. However, I don't like the gym
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are discussing a difficult project.
- ChiaraQuesto compito è difficile, tuttavia possibile.This task is difficult, however possible.
- AlessandroPensi che possiamo finire in tempo?Do you think we can finish in time?
- ChiaraSì, tuttavia serve molta concentrazione.Yes, however it requires a lot of concentration.
- AlessandroHai ragione, iniziamo subito.You are right, let's start immediately.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tuttavia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tuttavia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
