по-прежнему vs всё ещё

po-prezhnemu vs vsyo eshchyo — still/as before vs still/yet

What it really means

По-прежнему means “as before,” emphasizing continuity with an earlier state or habit and often sounding slightly more written. Всё ещё means “still/yet,” emphasizing that a state continues up to now, sometimes with surprise or impatience. По-прежнему is hyphenated; всё ещё is two words.

Examples in natural speech

Он по-прежнему живёт в Москве.
He still lives in Moscow, as before.
Ситуация по-прежнему сложная.
The situation remains difficult.
Ты всё ещё работаешь?
Are you still working?
Поезд всё ещё не пришёл.
The train still has not arrived.
Она по-прежнему помогает друзьям.
She continues to help her friends as before.

Common mistakes

Do not write «попрежнему» or «всёещё». Do not assume всё ещё is always stylistically interchangeable with по-прежнему: it can highlight delayed change, while по-прежнему stresses unchanged continuity.

Memory tip

По-прежнему compares with the past; всё ещё measures continuation up to now.

Frequently asked questions

Which sounds more formal?

По-прежнему is generally more neutral-to-written; всё ещё is very natural in speech and questions.

Can всё ещё be used with a negative?

Yes: «он всё ещё не ответил» emphasizes that the expected answer has not arrived.

Does по-прежнему imply the state is undesirable?

No. It simply says the state remains the same; context determines whether that is good, bad, or neutral.

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