Thread: всё же

I have a problem with the meaning of this conjunction. Wherever I find it translated like an adversative conj. : "nevertheless" . "I and tired, всё же I work a lot". So in every place. However I have an exercise where the meaning of this conj. is clearly a causal conjunction: "because..", "since...". Here are the phrases:

A person has suffered a cold and says: Now I have decided to practise more intensively sport to become stronger.
Теперь я решил побольше заниматься спортом, чтобы закалиться.
Всё же закалённые люди не так подвержены простуде (=since stronger people are not exposed to getting a cold).
So can I put всё же in both places, as adversative and as causal conjuntion? Thank you.

Originally Posted by radomir

I have a problem with the meaning of this conjunction. Wherever I find it translated like an adversative conj. : "nevertheless" . "I and tired, всё же I work a lot". So in every place. However I have an exercise where the meaning of this conj. is clearly a causal conjunction: "because..", "since...". Here are the phrases:

A person has suffered a cold and says: Now I have decided to practise more intensively sport to become stronger.
Теперь я решил побольше заниматься спортом, чтобы закалиться.
Всё же закалённые люди не так подвержены простуде (=since stronger people are not exposed to getting a cold).
So can I put всё же in both places, as adversative and as causal conjuntion? Thank you.

I would not say "всё же" is really a causal conjunction in your example. I would say, it is still "nevertheless".

And nevertheless, stronger people are not exposed to getting a cold. It is a typical Russian way to express. The whole meaning is:

"I am suffering a cold. Nevertheless, stronger people are not exposed to getting a cold." - the first part is implied, not expressed.

Or, you can treat "всё же" as "I would admit".

Compare:
1) Сегодня дождь. Но всё же погода хорошая. - It is raining today. But, I would admit (= nevertheless), the weather is nice.
2) Теперь я решил побольше заниматься спортом, чтобы закалиться. Всё же закалённые люди не так подвержены простуде. -
Now I have decided to practise more intensively sport to become stronger. I would admit, stronger people are not exposed to getting a cold.

Maybe some one else could provide a better explanation.

I should say that in the case "I am tired nevertheless I work a lot" you better take "и всё же" or " но всё же". Simple "всё же" is closer to " I would admit", "I should say".
Я устал, всё же я много работаю - the sense is like "No suprise that I am tired as I work so much"
Я устал, но всё же я много работаю - I am tired but I continue working hard

When you put "но" - you talk about smth opposing the statement in the first clause - Сегодня дождь. Но всё же погода хорошая. "И" is somewhere close or even the same. And this you can translate as nevertheless. Simple "всё же" is proving your first statement, adding one more argument to it. Like in your sentence about "закалённые люди" - it is not so sharp as "since" because it is not a direct conclusion, but like you speaking with yourself, weighing pro and contra.

Thank you for your help.

Originally Posted by radomir

Теперь я решил побольше заниматься спортом, чтобы закалиться.
Всё же закалённые люди не так подвержены простуде.

I'd say in such a construction "всё же" adds an explanatory tone to the statement. "You know/after all/... , stronger people don't catch cld so easily"

Thank you, Shady_arc, for your explanation.