The letter Vav

Grammar

Word: ו
Representation: V
Transliteration: V, U, O
Conjunction: "and", "or", "but", "while", "as well as"

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Exposition

This prefixing letter never stands alone. It is always used for two reasons.

In Biblical Hebrew, it may prefix a verb to change the tense from future to past and visa-versa. (This technique is known as a "vav-conversive"). 

In all forms of Hebrew, if it prefixes a noun, then it is used to create a relationship between that noun and what preceded it, as in the word "and". And while terms like "or" and "but" have their own words, the letter Vav can also mean these as well, based on context.

I may also use "while" rather than "and" if there were a number of "and" statements and I want to direct the attention to a connected statement that is still independent, as in Genesis 1:2:

"...AND darkness was upon the surface of the watery-deep WHILE Elohim's directing power hovers over the surface of the water."

There is a connection in that they are happening concurrently, and using "while" sounds better stylistically than "and". If you want to use "AND", go ahead. My intent is to have the text readable as well as accurate.

For example, if there are two unequal expressions "the land was created" and "the land was unusable", typically "but" will be used rather than "and" just to make a better translation. Also, "he had his choice between the cow and the horse", using "or" rather than "and" can be used to make the meaning more clear. And of course, if there is an enforced sequence, "and" will infer that as well.

Translating words for clarity often requires making choices that will be exact and supportive of the text that may end up being different than if used for a simple and "pure" translation.