Learn German: Die Hauptspeise war zäh, jedoch war die Portion groß. - The main course was tough, however, the portion was big.

Jedoch is an adverb meaning 'however,' and here it occupies the first position of the second clause. Because German main clauses follow the V2 rule (verb in the second position), the verb war must immediately follow jedoch, pushing the subject die Portion to the third position.

Could I place jedoch somewhere else in the second clause?

Yes, jedoch is quite flexible! You can also place it in the middle of the clause, after the verb and subject: , die Portion war jedoch groß. This is because it acts as a flexible adverb, rather than a fixed coordinating conjunction like aber.

How does jedoch differ grammatically from zumal (especially since) from this lesson?

Jedoch is an adverb connecting two main clauses, keeping the verb in the second position. Zumal is a subordinating conjunction, which means it introduces a dependent clause and forces the conjugated verb to the very end of the sentence (e.g., , zumal die Portion groß war).

Is zäh only used to describe poorly cooked food?

While it frequently translates to 'tough' or 'chewy' for meat, zäh has a broader use. It can describe thick, viscous liquids (like syrup) or abstract concepts, such as a 'tedious' or 'dragged-out' process (ein zäher Prozess). It can even describe a person as highly resilient.