The most common question I receive regarding however is whether it is OK to use however at the beginning of a phrase, and the answer is yes: it is acceptable to begin a sentence with however. You just must understand when to use a comma and when to use a semicolon. Commas are used to separate items in a list or series. However, if you want to make your sentence more dramatic or explanatory, you can include a colon instead: However; thusly.