This is the 485th most frequent French word.
pourtant
"Pourtant" means "however" or "yet" in English.
"Pourtant" is employed to express a contradiction between outward appearance and true feelings.
Elle paraît calme; pourtant, elle est très nerveuse intérieurement.
She seems calm; however, she is very nervous inside.
"Pourtant" is used here to indicate a contrast between the effort of studying and the failing result of the exam.
Il avait beaucoup étudié; pourtant, il a échoué à l'examen.
He had studied a lot; however, he failed the exam.
"Pourtant" shows a surprising difference between the weather forecast and the actual weather.