In highly formal Dutch—such as in political debates and international agreements—you can introduce contrast using the concessive adverbs niettemin (nevertheless) and evenwel (however).
Niettemin (Nevertheless)
When you place niettemin at the beginning of a sentence, it triggers inversion (the finite verb moves to sit immediately before the subject).
| The international treaty is so controversial that the debate continues. | Het internationale verdrag is zo omstreden dat het debat doorgaat. |
| Nevertheless, the minister will sign the treaty today. | Niettemin zal de minister het verdrag vandaag ondertekenen. |
| It is necessary to introduce these rules. | Het is noodzakelijk om deze regels in te voeren. |
| Nevertheless, the parliament is voting against the new law. | Niettemin stemt het parlement tegen de nieuwe wet. |
Evenwel (However)
Evenwel is a highly formal alternative to echter (however). It is usually placed mid-sentence, directly after the finite verb.
| The government wants to introduce the reform next year. | De regering wil de hervorming volgend jaar invoeren. |
| The opposition is against this proposal, however. | De oppositie is evenwel tegen dit voorstel. |
| The opposition calls the new constitution very controversial. | De oppositie noemt de nieuwe grondwet erg omstreden. |
| The minister cannot change the constitution, however. | De minister kan de grondwet evenwel niet veranderen. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io
