C1 · Subordinate clauses
Concessions: aunque, por más que, si bien
aunque with the indicative is «although», with the subjunctive «even if» — and there are finer ways still.
At a glance
- Remember
- aunque with the indicative: that is how it is. aunque with the subjunctive: so what if it is.
- Form
- Aunque está cansada, sigue trabajando.although (fact)
- Signal words
- aunque
- por más que
- por muy
- si bien
- y eso que
- a pesar de que
- Trap
- Wrong:Aunque tendría tiempo, no iría.Right:Aunque tuviera tiempo, no iría.
Your turn
5 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
| although (fact) | Aunque está cansada, sigue trabajando. |
| even if (open or unimportant) | Aunque esté cansada, seguirá trabajando. |
| however much | Por más que insistas, no iré. |
| however … | Por muy caro que sea, lo compro. |
| while (formal) | Si bien es cierto, no es toda la verdad. |
| even if | Aun cuando lo supiera, no diría nada. |
| and yet (afterthought) | Llegó tarde, y eso que salió temprano. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
aunque with the indicative grants a fact.
Aunque hace frío, vamos a la playa.Although it is cold, we are going to the beach.
aunque with the subjunctive leaves it open or brushes it aside.
Aunque haga frío, iremos a la playa.Even if it is cold, we will go to the beach.
por muy plus adjective plus que means «however …».
Por muy difícil que parezca, se puede hacer.However difficult it may seem, it can be done.
si bien takes the indicative and sounds written.
Si bien es cierto, no lo explica todo.While that is true, it does not explain everything.
Example sentences
Aunque no me creas, es verdad.Even if you do not believe me, it is true.
Por mucho que corras, no llegarás a tiempo.However fast you run, you will not get there in time.
No le subieron el sueldo, y eso que trabaja como nadie.They did not give him a pay rise, and yet he works like nobody else.
A pesar de que estaba enfermo, vino a la reunión.Although he was ill, he came to the meeting.
6 more example sentences
Por más que se lo explico, no lo entiende.However often I explain it to him, he does not understand.
Aunque fuera millonario, seguiría trabajando.Even if I were a millionaire, I would keep working.
Por muy tarde que llegues, llámame.However late you arrive, call me.
Si bien el plan tiene ventajas, es demasiado caro.While the plan has its advantages, it is too expensive.
Se compró el coche, y eso que no tenía dinero.He bought himself the car, and that without having the money.
Aun cuando tuviéramos tiempo, no lo haríamos.Even if we had time, we would not do it.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
For «even if I had time», the «would» of the main clause is pulled into the aunque-clause as a conditional: Aunque tendría tiempo, no iría. For a merely imagined concession, aunque — like si — takes the imperfect subjunctive: Aunque tuviera tiempo, no iría. The English «had» is the right hint: a past form standing for something unreal.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
A concessive clause grants something that still does not stop the main clause. The basic word is aunque, and its mood carries meaning: with the indicative you state what is the case (Aunque llueve, salgo — «although it is raining»), with the subjunctive you leave it open or brush it aside as unimportant (Aunque llueva, saldré — «even if it rains»). English needs two different words for what Spanish does with one word and two moods.
Por más que and por mucho que mean «however much»: Por más que lo intento, no me saleis a statementPor más que lo intentes, no te saldráa prediction Before an adjective or adverb it is por muy … que, usually with the subjunctive: Por muy listo que sea — «however clever he may be».
Formal language has si bien («while», with the indicative), aun cuando («even if») and a pesar de que («despite the fact that»). Conversation adds y eso que, which concedes as an afterthought: No aprobó, y eso que estudió mucho — «and that after studying so hard».
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