# aval v. ach



## albondiga

Hi all,

I know "aval" as the translation of the English "but," but I also frequently encounter "ach"... are these words entirely interchangeable?  Is there some difference I haven't caught yet?  i.e., Are there situations where one would make sense but the other would not?  Is one more old-fashioned and the other more modern?  Are there other words I should know that are used as the Hebrew translation for the English "but" in other situations?

Thanks!

 (sorry about the lack of Hebrew font, I'll have to get that installed soon...)


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## amikama

Yes, both mean the same and they are interchangeable in most (all?) cases. The only difference is that אך sounds a bit fancier/formal than אבל .אבל is more frequent in the daily/colloquial speech.

Another synonym of "but" is אולם (rather formal).


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## Nunty

I'm pretty sure that אך can substitute for אבל in most or all cases, but I'm not sure the opposite is true. Unfortunately the only example that comes to mind: ושמחת בחגיך והיית אך שמח is not modern Hebrew.


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## albondiga

Thanks to the both of you...

Nun: your example, as I'm sure you are aware, is of Biblical origin... It appears that back then "אך" had an alternate meaning of "only"; if I was trying to get across the same point today, I'd probably use "rak"...  So am I correct in presuming that this alternate meaning has disappeared in the modern language, or do you ever still hear the word "אך" used to mean something like "only" nowadays?


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## amikama

albondiga said:


> Nun: your example, as I'm sure you are aware, is of Biblical origin... It appears that back then "אך" had an alternate meaning of "only"; if I was trying to get across the same point today, I'd probably use "rak"... So am I correct in presuming that this alternate meaning has disappeared in the modern language, or do you ever still hear the word "אך" used to mean something like "only" nowadays?


Not entirely disappeared. In modern Hebrew, אך in sense of "only" managed to survive in the fixed expression אך ורק (=emphasized "only"). Also, אך may be used in fancy/poetic/old-fashioned Hebrew, for example:
.בידי נותרו אך שני גרושים ותו לא

So I wouldn't say that אך meaning "only" is totally obsolete.


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## elroy

Interestingly enough, the English "but" can also mean "only," as in "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."

How does Hebrew express the "but" in "I don't want the blue one but the green one"?


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## solysombra

elroy said:


> Interestingly enough, the English "but" can also mean "only," as in "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."
> 
> How does Hebrew express the "but" in "I don't want the blue one but the green one"?


 
 אני לא רוצה את הכחול, *אלא* את הירוק. אם תכתובו: אני לא רוצה את הכחול, אבל את הירוק, ישר ידעו שתרגמת מאנגלית... ייי​


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## Nunty

albondiga said:


> Nun: your example, as I'm sure you are aware, is of Biblical origin... It appears that back then "אך" had an alternate meaning of "only"; if I was trying to get across the same point today, I'd probably use "rak"...


Obviously biblical, albo. The verb forms confirm, no?

I am grateful to amikama for the *אך שני גרושים* example. I would add that *אך ורק* is not uncommon in modern discourse.


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## albondiga

Interesting... can you give an example of how "אך ורק" would be used in context?  Would it be used exactly as "רק" except with the effect of giving added emphasis?


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## Nunty

פניות תתקבלנה *אך ורק* בכתב.
*אך ורק* מי שבידו כרטיס יוכנס למגרש.
ניתן לשלם *אך ורק* באמצעות כרטיס אשראי.

Yes, I believe that *אך ורק *is an intensifying expression, rather like "strictly" in English.​


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## albondiga

Thanks, I've got a much clearer picture of the usage now...


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## Nunty

The day before yesterday, there was a good example in the local news. A minister resigning from the government said:
קשה להיפרד מן התפקיד *אך* זה צו מצפוני.

He could have said אבל but it would not have carried the same weight. *אך* is a sort of figurative dramatic pause in such sentences.


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