Conversation and writing rarely stay on one topic in a perfectly straight line. Greek uses τέλος πάντων, όσο για, σχετικά με, πάντως, εν πάση περιπτώσει, and με την ευκαιρία to close an unproductive thread, introduce a particular participant, return after a digression, or open a related aside. These expressions are not interchangeable versions of English “anyway”: each one announces a different relation between the old topic and the new one.
Their position, pauses, and intonation matter. At the beginning of a turn or sentence, most are followed by a short pause, conventionally written with a comma. Inside a turn, they may be parenthetical; the surrounding clause still determines the grammar.
τέλος πάντων: closing a thread and moving on
Τέλος πάντων is common in (informal and neutral conversation). It can close a discussion that has become repetitive, set aside a detail, or return to the main business after a detour. Its literal components should not be analyzed separately in present-day use: it functions as a fixed expression.
Τέλος πάντων, ας αφήσουμε αυτό το θέμα και ας δούμε τι θα κάνουμε αύριο.
télos pándon, as afísume aftó to théma ke as dhúme ti tha kánume ávrio.
Anyway, let's leave that subject and see what we'll do tomorrow.
Τέλος πάντων, πού είχαμε μείνει;
télos pándon, pu íchame míni;
Anyway, where were we?
The first example explicitly closes one topic. The second resumes an interrupted activity or line of thought. With clipped intonation, τέλος πάντων can convey impatience or resignation: “enough of that.” With a lighter contour, it can simply repair the flow of the conversation.
Δεν έχει σημασία ποιος το πρότεινε· τέλος πάντων, συνεχίζουμε.
dhen échi simasía pios to prótine; télos pándon, sinechízume.
It doesn't matter who proposed it; anyway, we're moving on.
Because that dismissive shade is available, the expression needs care when another person considers the abandoned issue important. In a formal report, use a connector that states the logical relation instead of sounding as though you are brushing the matter aside.
όσο για: selecting a topic for separate comment
Όσο για + noun phrase means “as for…” or “regarding….” It sets up a topic frame and tells the listener that the next clause comments specifically on that person or thing. Since για governs the accusative, the noun phrase appears in the accusative.
Όσο για τον λογαριασμό, θα τον πληρώσω εγώ.
óso ya ton loghariazmó, tha ton pliróso eghó.
As for the bill, I'll pay it.
Όσο για τη Μαρία, δεν έχει απαντήσει ακόμα.
óso ya ti María, dhen échi apandísi akóma.
As for Maria, she hasn't replied yet.
The topic phrase is outside the core clause. Greek may resume it inside the clause with a pronoun, as τον resumes τον λογαριασμό in the first example, but resumption is not mechanical. In the second example, the subject is recoverable without an overt pronoun.
Όσο για τις υπόλοιπες λεπτομέρειες, θα τις συζητήσουμε αύριο.
óso ya tis ipólipes leptoméries, tha tis sizitísume ávrio.
As for the remaining details, we'll discuss them tomorrow.
English “as for” can sound slightly pointed, and Greek όσο για can too—especially when it contrasts one participant with others. Context may make it neutral organization or signal “that is a separate matter.”
σχετικά με: a neutral heading for a matter
Σχετικά με + accusative means “regarding/concerning.” It is common in emails, meetings, and administrative communication (neutral to formal). Unlike όσο για, it need not contrast the selected topic with another person or case; it can simply name what the message concerns.
Σχετικά με την αίτησή σας, χρειαζόμαστε ένα ακόμη έγγραφο.
schetiká me tin étisí sas, chriazómaste éna akóma éngrafo.
Regarding your application, we need one more document.
Θα σου τηλεφωνήσω σχετικά με τις αλλαγές στο πρόγραμμα.
tha su tilefoníso schetiká me tis alayés sto próghrama.
I'll call you regarding the changes to the schedule.
The phrase is not restricted to sentence-initial topic position, as the second example shows. English speakers sometimes overuse a formal “regarding” formula in friendly conversation. Greek speakers certainly use σχετικά με, but για alone is often lighter when no explicit topic-management signal is needed.
πάντως: returning, qualifying, or preserving a minimum claim
Πάντως is highly frequent and flexible. As a topic-management marker, it can return from a side issue or keep one point in force despite what has just been said: “anyway,” “in any case,” or “at any rate.” The stable core is that the speaker preserves the following statement across competing considerations.
Πάντως, για να γυρίσουμε στο αρχικό ερώτημα, η τιμή παραμένει το βασικό πρόβλημα.
pándos, ya na yirísume sto archikó erótima, i timí paraméni to vasikó próvlima.
Anyway, to return to the original question, price remains the main problem.
Μπορεί να διαφωνούμε στις λεπτομέρειες· πάντως, όλοι θέλουμε να βρεθεί λύση.
borí na dhiafonúme stis leptoméries; pándos, óli thélume na vrethí lísi.
We may disagree on the details; at any rate, we all want a solution to be found.
Δεν ξέρω αν θα έρθει ο Πέτρος. Εγώ πάντως θα πάω.
dhen kséro an tha érthi o Pétros. eghó pándos tha páo.
I don't know whether Petros will come. I, anyway, will go.
The last example shows a medial position and a contrastive subject: whatever Petros does, the speaker's decision stands. Πάντως does not itself mean “but,” even though its preserved claim often contrasts pragmatically with the previous sentence.
εν πάση περιπτώσει: the careful, heavier alternative
Εν πάση περιπτώσει means “in any case.” It is fully alive and heard in educated speech, but it is heavier and more characteristic of (careful or formal) discourse than everyday πάντως. It often closes a qualification and states what remains valid.
Εν πάση περιπτώσει, η προθεσμία δεν μπορεί να παραταθεί.
en pási periptósi, i prothezmía dhen borí na paratathí.
In any case, the deadline cannot be extended.
Τα διαθέσιμα στοιχεία είναι περιορισμένα· εν πάση περιπτώσει, απαιτείται περαιτέρω έρευνα.
ta dhiathésima stichía íne periorizména; en pási periptósi, apetíte peretéro érevna.
The available evidence is limited; in any case, further research is required.
The phrase preserves an old dative form in πάση περιπτώσει. Modern speakers use it as a fixed unit; they do not freely build new phrases on that historical pattern. See fossilized dative expressions for the structure and its modern limits.
με την ευκαιρία: opening a related aside
Με την ευκαιρία literally means “on the occasion” and often works like “by the way.” It introduces a side topic prompted by something in the situation or the preceding conversation. It therefore suggests a connection, even if the new point is not part of the main argument.
Με την ευκαιρία, θυμήθηκες να κλείσεις τραπέζι;
me tin efkería, thimíthikes na klísis trapézi;
By the way, did you remember to book a table?
Με την ευκαιρία που μιλάμε για το ταξίδι, έχεις ελέγξει το διαβατήριό σου;
me tin efkería pu miláme ya to taksídhi, échis elénksi to dhiavatírió su;
While we're on the subject of the trip, have you checked your passport?
The expanded με την ευκαιρία που… makes the link explicit. If the new topic has no situational hook at all, the expression can feel abrupt rather than magically making the shift smooth.
Choosing the shift you mean
| Expression | Main discourse move | Typical register |
|---|---|---|
| τέλος πάντων | Close, set aside, or resume after a detour | informal to neutral |
| όσο για | Select one participant or matter for comment | neutral |
| σχετικά με | Name the subject of a message or section | neutral to formal |
| πάντως | Return or preserve a claim despite complications | neutral |
| εν πάση περιπτώσει | State what remains valid after qualification | careful or formal |
| με την ευκαιρία | Open a situationally related aside | neutral |
Λοιπόν often moves talk toward a next step or conclusion rather than simply replacing one topic with another. Its sequencing and turn-management uses belong on the λοιπόν page. The general relationship among connective meanings is mapped on the connectors overview.
Common Mistakes
Altering the fixed expression τέλος πάντων
The expression is fixed: ×τέλος πάντο → τέλος πάντων.
✅ Τέλος πάντων, ας προχωρήσουμε.
télos pándon, as prochorísume.
Anyway, let's move on.
Omitting για after όσο
The topic frame requires για: ×όσο τον λογαριασμό → όσο για τον λογαριασμό.
✅ Όσο για τον λογαριασμό, θα μιλήσουμε αύριο.
óso ya ton loghariazmó, tha milísume ávrio.
As for the bill, we'll talk tomorrow.
Modernizing one word inside the fossil
The inherited case forms are fixed: ×εν πάσα περιπτώσει → εν πάση περιπτώσει.
✅ Εν πάση περιπτώσει, θα τηρηθεί η συμφωνία.
en pási periptósi, tha tirithí i simfonía.
In any case, the agreement will be honored.
Assuming every “anyway” has the same function
Both examples are grammatical, but they perform different moves.
✅ Πάντως, η βασική μας θέση δεν αλλάζει.
pándos, i vasikí mas thési dhen alázi.
In any case, our basic position does not change.
✅ Τέλος πάντων, ας μην το συζητάμε άλλο.
télos pándon, as min to sizitáme álo.
Anyway, let's not discuss it any further.
The first preserves a claim across other considerations. The second closes the discussion, and may carry impatience.
Key Takeaways
- Use τέλος πάντων to close or resume a thread, but remember its possible resigned or dismissive tone.
- Όσο για + accusative frames a selected topic; σχετικά με + accusative neutrally names a matter.
- Πάντως preserves or returns to a point, while heavier εν πάση περιπτώσει suits careful and formal discourse.
- Με την ευκαιρία introduces a related aside, not an entirely unmotivated subject.
Related Topics
- λοιπόν: So, Well, ThenB1 — Use λοιπόν to open or resume a turn, draw a conversational conclusion, prompt action, and signal what happens next.
- Text Connectors OverviewB1 — Choose Greek connectors by discourse function and register to build coherent spoken explanations and written arguments.
- Fossilized Dative ExpressionsC1 — The ancient dative endings still embedded in modern Greek phrases — εν ολίγοις, εν μέρει, εν γνώσει, τω όντι, εν προκειμένω and the whole εν-family — how to recognise a fossil by its ending, what register each one belongs to, and why you must never build a new one.