# so

> English word · Conjunction · IPA /səʊ/ · frequency rank #33

## Definitions
1. Reduced form of 'so that', used to express purpose; in order that.
2. As a result; for that reason; therefore; because of this; due to this.
3. Used to connect previous conversation or events to the following question.
4. Used to introduce a rhetorical question.
5. Provided that; on condition that; as long as.

## Etymology
From Middle English so, swo, zuo, swa, swe, from Old English swā, swǣ, swē (“so, as, the same, such, that”), from Proto-West Germanic *swā, from Proto-Germanic *swa, *swē (“so”), from Proto-Indo-European *swē, *swō (reflexive pronomial stem). Cognate with Scots sae (“so”), Saterland Frisian so (“so”), West Frisian sa (“so”), Dutch zo (“so”), German Low German so (“so”), German so (“so”), Danish så (“so”), Norwegian Nynorsk so (“so”), Swedish så (“so, such that”), Faroese so (“so”), Icelandic svo (“so”), Old Latin suad (“so”), Albanian sa (“how much, so, as”), Ancient Greek ὡς (hōs, “as”), Urdu سو (sō, “hence”).

## Easily confused with
- **SS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-ss)
- **SP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sp)
- **su** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-su)
- **SW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sw)
- **SV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sv)
- **Sy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sy)
- **son** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-son)
- **sun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sun)
- **sub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sub)
- **sum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sum)
- **spy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-spy)
- **sue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sue)
- **spa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-spa)
- **sox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sox)
- **sol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sol)
- **soy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-soy)
- **SUV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-suv)
- **sup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sup)
- **STD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-std)
- **sow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/so-vs-sow)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/so