The Spanish word 'todavía' (meaning 'still' or 'yet') comes from the Latin phrase 'tota via', which literally meant 'by any way' or 'always'. This Latin phrase was formed by combining two words: 'totus' meaning 'all' or 'entire', and 'via' meaning 'way' or 'road'. Over time, these words merged together and evolved both in form (with 'tota via' becoming 'todavía') and in meaning (shifting from 'by any way/always' to 'still/yet').

This semantic evolution from 'by any way' to 'still/yet' makes sense if you think about it as something continuing along any possible path or way, thus persisting or still happening.

Several common Spanish words share roots with 'todavía': 'todo' (meaning 'all' or 'every') comes from the same Latin 'totus'. Similarly, 'vía' exists in modern Spanish meaning 'way' or 'route', directly from Latin 'via'. These connections can help you remember that 'todavía' is historically a combination of concepts relating to 'all' and 'way'.

English has borrowed many words from Latin 'via', including 'via' itself (as in 'traveling via train'), 'viaduct' (a bridge for a road), and 'obvious' (literally meaning 'in the way' or 'in front'). The 'tot-' root from 'totus' appears in English words like 'total' and 'totally'. Understanding these connections can help you remember the components that make up 'todavía'.