indessen
Translation
meanwhile, in the meantime, however, whereas
Examples
Ich räume auf, indessen kannst du kochen.
I'll tidy up, meanwhile you can cook.
Er ist sehr reich, indessen lebt er bescheiden.
He is very rich, however he lives modestly.
Grammar Patterns
[clause], indessen [clause] meanwhile, whereas, however Ich lese ein Buch, indessen die Kinder spielen.
Similar Words
Synonyms: meanwhile, however; Antonyms: therefore, for that reason
Etymology
Composed of 'in' and 'dessen' (genitive of 'that'), literally meaning 'in that (time)'.
Memory Tips
Think of it as a formal way of saying 'in the meantime' or 'however'. It connects two contrasting or simultaneous events.