Ch 28 · Lesson 11Spanish · Chapter 28 · Lesson 11 · Grammar primer
Aunque: even if or even though
(even though it is raining) against (even if it rains): the mood says whether you are conceding a fact or a possibility.
The short version
or
, .
Why?Hide
means both 'even though' and 'even if', and the mood is what tells them apart. With the indicative you rain you can see out of the window; with the subjunctive you rain that might never come. It is not a stylistic choice: it tells your listener whether the concession is real or merely supposed.
Aunque: even if or even though
means both even though and even if. Spanish tells them apart with the mood: the indicative a fact, the subjunctive a possibility:
| You know it? | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yes: indicative | , . | Even though it's raining, we' going out. |
| no: subjunctive | , . | Even if it rains, we'll go out. |
| yes: indicative | , . | Even though it's expensive, I'm buying it. |
| no: subjunctive | , . | Even if it's expensive, I'll buy it. |
If you can see the rain from the window, it is . If you are guessing about tomorrow, .
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| not yet real | |
| Âż ? | Âż ? | a question word: indicative |
| : always subjunctive | |
| a | | a : always |
| : even in the past | |
| (even if) | | a possibility: subjunctive |
Going further: Adverbial clauses at a glance and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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