todavía
/to-da-VEE-a/
still
Todavía means 'still,' showing an action or state that is continuing, like working late into the night.
📝 In Action
Todavía estoy en el trabajo.
A1I'm still at work.
¿Vives todavía en la misma casa?
A1Do you still live in the same house?
Mi abuela todavía recuerda las canciones de su niñez.
A2My grandma still remembers the songs from her childhood.
💡 Grammar Points
What is an Adverb?
An adverb is a word that gives more information about a verb (an action word). 'Todavía' tells you when or for how long the action is happening. It signals that something continues.
Where to Place 'Todavía'
You can usually place 'todavía' right before the verb, like in 'Todavía llueve' (It's still raining). You can also put it at the end for emphasis: 'Llueve todavía'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Todavía' and 'Ya'
Mistake: "Using 'ya' when you mean an action is continuing. For example, saying 'Ya estoy aquí' when you want to say 'I'm *still* here'."
Correction: Use 'todavía' for things that are still happening ('Todavía estoy aquí'). Use 'ya' for things that have already happened ('Ya llegué' - I already arrived) or are no longer happening ('Ya no estoy aquí' - I'm not here anymore).
⭐ Usage Tips
The Opposite of 'Ya no'
Think of 'todavía' as the direct opposite of 'ya no' (not anymore). 'Todavía fumo' (I still smoke) vs. 'Ya no fumo' (I don't smoke anymore).
When used with 'no' (todavía no), it translates to 'not yet,' indicating an expected event has not occurred.
📝 In Action
Todavía no he comido.
A2I haven't eaten yet.
¿Por qué no me has llamado todavía?
A2Why haven't you called me yet?
El paquete todavía no ha llegado.
B1The package hasn't arrived yet.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Todavía no' Combo
When you want to say 'not yet', you almost always use the pair 'todavía no'. The 'no' usually comes right before the main action word (the verb). For example: 'Todavía no sé' (I don't know yet).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'no'
Mistake: "To say 'not yet', some learners just say 'todavía', which means 'still'. 'Todavía he terminado' doesn't make sense."
Correction: Always remember to include 'no'. The correct phrase is 'Todavía no he terminado' (I haven't finished yet).
⭐ Usage Tips
Answering '¿Ya...?' Questions
A common way to answer a question that starts with '¿Ya...?' (Already...?) is with 'Todavía no'. For example: '¿Ya terminaste?' (Did you finish already?) -> 'No, todavía no.' (No, not yet).
Todavía emphasizes comparisons, meaning 'even,' as in 'even better' or 'even more.'
📝 In Action
La película fue buena, pero el libro es todavía mejor.
B2The movie was good, but the book is even better.
Si crees que eso es difícil, el próximo nivel es todavía más complicado.
B2If you think that's difficult, the next level is even more complicated.
Ahorró mucho dinero, pero todavía necesita más para comprar la casa.
B1He saved a lot of money, but he still needs more to buy the house.
💡 Grammar Points
Boosting Your Comparisons
Place 'todavía' before comparison words like 'más' (more), 'menos' (less), 'mejor' (better), or 'peor' (worse) to give them extra power. It's like adding 'even' in English.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sound More Expressive
Using 'todavía' in this way makes your Spanish sound more natural and expressive. Instead of just 'es más grande' (it's bigger), saying 'es todavía más grande' (it's even bigger) adds a nice touch.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: todavía
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'This pizza is good, but that one is even better'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'todavía' and 'aún'?
In most situations, they mean the exact same thing and you can swap them freely! Both can mean 'still', 'yet', or 'even'. Sometimes, 'aún' can feel a little more formal or poetic, but for everyday conversation, they are perfect synonyms.
So 'todavía' and 'ya' are opposites?
Exactly! Think of them as a pair with opposite meanings. 'Todavía' is for things that are continuing ('Todavía llueve' - It's still raining). 'Ya' is for things that have started or finished ('Ya empezó' - It already started). And 'ya no' is for things that have stopped ('Ya no llueve' - It's not raining anymore).