Expressing opposition and concession

1 Conjunctions

Expressing opposition involves presenting an idea that opposes or contrasts with an idea previously mentioned or about to be mentioned. Conjunctions expressing opposition can be followed by the indicative or the subjunctive .

1.1 Expressing although

Bien que / Quoiqu'elle soit née en France, elle ne parle pas couramment le français

Although / Even though she was born in France, she doesn't speak French fluently

Encore qu’il n’ait que 35 ans, il vient d’être nommé ministre

Even though he’s only 35, he’s just been appointed minister

1.2 Expressing when, while

Quand elle est rentrée, Pierre dormait au soleil alors qu’il était censé tondre la pelouse

When she got back, Pierre was sleeping in the sun when he was supposed to be mowing the lawn

Elle aime les chats tandis que lui préfère les chiens

She likes cats whilst he prefers dogs

1.3 Expressing even if

Même si je lui en parlais, je doute qu'il m'écouterait

Even if I spoke to him about it, I doubt he would listen to me

Quand bien même je lui en parlerais, il ne m'écouterait pas

Even if I spoke to him about it, he wouldn't listen to me

The idea of even if can also be expressed by juxtaposing two conditional clauses, or by linking them with que:

J'obtiendrais les notes requises, je n'irais pas à cette université

J'obtiendrais les notes requises que je n'irais pas à cette université

Even if I got the right marks, I wouldn't go to that university

1.4 Expressing without

Le voleur a réussi à pénétrer dans le bâtiment sans qu'on le voie

The thief managed to enter the building without being seen

1.5 Expressing but

C'est lui qui m'a dit de le rencontrer à 3 heures, mais quand je suis arrivé il n'était pas là

It's him who told me to meet him at 3 o'clock, but when I arrived he wasn't there

2 Expressing whatever, however, whoever, wherever

A concessive clause is a type of clause that concedes a point. Another (more complicated) definition is that it describes a state of affairs that might have been expected to rule out what is described in the main clause but in fact does not. For example:

Although he had been warned, he refused to stop shouting

[Although he had been warned = concessive clause]

The term is used in particular to refer to indefinite relative clause structures involving whatever, however, whoever and wherever:

2.1 Expressing whatever + noun

This can be translated into French using two structures according to whether the verb in the concessive clause is être or another verb.

Whatever his problems (may be), they cannot excuse such behaviour

[1] Quels que soient ses problèmes, ils ne peuvent excuser un tel comportement

[2] Quelques problèmes qu'il puisse avoir, ils ne peuvent excuser un tel comportement

His problems, whatever they may be, they cannot excuse such behaviour

[1] Ses problèmes, quels qu'ils puissent être, ne peuvent excuser un tel comportement

2.2 Expressing however + adjective

However big your problems are, they cannot excuse such behaviour

Si grands que soient tes problèmes, ils ne peuvent excuser un tel comportement

Your problems, however big they are, cannot excuse such behaviour

Tes problèmes, si grands qu’ils soient, ne peuvent excuser un tel comportement

In more formal French, si can be replaced with aussi, quelque or pour [plus subjunctive ], or tout [generally plus indicative ]. Note that all these words are invariable here:

Tes problèmes, aussi / quelque / pour grands qu’ils soient...

Tes problèmes, tout grands qu’ils sont...

2.3 Expressing however + adverb

2.3.1 Using tout

There are various ways of translating this structure into French. One is by using the adverb tout with the structure below:

However carefully one drives / people drive, there is always the risk of an accident

Tout prudemment que conduisent les gens / que l'on conduise, il y a toujours le risque d'un accident

2.3.2 Using avoir beau faire

When translating adverbs expressing intensity, such as much or hard, generally those with the structure However much + subject + verb, are best translated into French using the construction avoir beau faire:

However much I speak to him, I cannot convince him

J’ai beau lui parler, je n’arrive pas à le convaincre

However hard I try, I can't get the hang of computers

J'ai beau essayer, je n'arrive pas à me débrouiller avec les ordinateurs

2.3.3 Conversion into noun structures

Note also that French often converts adverb structures into noun structures:

However much / little I buy

Quelque soit la quantité que j'achète

However much / little it costs

Quelque soit le prix

However many / few people

Quelque soit le nombre de personnes

However long it takes

Quelque soit le temps que ça prend

2.4 Expressing whoever / whatever / wherever

2.4.1 Whoever as direct object / complement of relative clause

Whoever this boy / he is, he has no right to go in without permission

Qui que soit ce garçon / Qui qu'il soit, il n'a pas le droit d’entrer sans autorisation

2.4.2 Whatever as direct object / complement of relative clause

Whatever this boy / he does, he always ends up getting into trouble

Quoi que fasse ce garçon / Quoi qu’il fasse, il s’attire toujours des ennuis

Be careful not to confuse quoi que, meaning whatever, with quoique, meaning although (see section 1.1 above).

2.4.3 Wherever

Wherever you go in this part of France, the people are always very friendly

Où que vous alliez dans cette région de France, les gens sont toujours très sympathiques

3 Prepositions

3.1 Expressing in spite of

Malgré / En dépit de leurs différences, Marie et Nathalie sont restées de très bonnes amies

In spite of / despite their differences, Marie and Nathalie have remained very good friends

3.2 Expressing unlike

Contrairement à/ A la différence de sa soeur, Pierre n'est pas allé à l'université

Unlike his sister, Pierre did not go to university

Note that contrairement à can also mean contrary to, and can also be used in a subordinate clause :

Contrairement à ce qu'on pourrait penser, les Français boivent beaucoup de bière

Contrary to what one might think, the French drink a lot of beer

3.3 Expressing without

Ils ont fait agrandir leur maison sans avoir l'autorisation des autorités compétentes

They had an extension to their house built without getting permission from the appropriate authority

3.4 Expressing instead of

Au lieu de / Plutôt que (de) me le dire tout de suite, il m'a fait deviner le résultat

Instead of telling me / Rather than tell me straightaway, he made me guess the result

3.5 Other Structures

Sa santé, loin de s'aggraver, s'est plutôt améliorée

His / her health, far from getting worse, in fact got better

Je veux absolument avoir fini ce projet avant vendredi, quitte à travailler tard le soir

I'm determined to finish this project before Friday, even if it means working late

Tout en prenant la route la plus longue, il est arrivé le premier

Despite taking the longer route he still arrived first

Tout en comprenant ses arguments, je ne suis pas d’accord avec son projet

Whilst I understand his arguments, I do not agree with his plan

4 Adverbial phrases

4.1 Expressing nevertheless

Il était très occupé, mais il a quand même / tout de mêmesemble trouvé le temps de m'aider

He was very busy, but even so he found the time to help me

Note that quand même can also serve to reinforce a statement, in which case it does not necessarily express opposition:

Tu ne vas pas quand même rester devant la télé par un temps pareil?

You're surely not going to watch television on a nice day like this?

4.2 Expressing yet

Votre devoir était bon, pourtant / cependant j'ai quelques reproches à vous faire

Your homework was good, however I have a few criticisms to make

4.3 Expressing nevertheless

L'économie semble en voie d'amélioration; néanmoins / toutefois, le ministre s'en est tenu à sa politique de prudence

The economy appears to be improving; nevertheless, the minister has kept to his policy of prudence

Note that nevertheless can also be expressed by the structure n'en + [verb] + pas moins:

Si cet appareil photo est bon marché, il n'en est pas moins un produit de grande qualité

If this camera is cheap, it is nevertheless a high-quality product

4.4 Expressing on the other hand

L'Allemagne a une structure fédérale; la France, en revanche/ par contre, est plus centralisée

Germany is federal in structure; France, on the other hand, is more centralized

Note also the structure d'une part ... d'autre part for on the one hand ... on the other:

La légalisation du cannabis sous forme de comprimé est beaucoup discutée à l'heure actuelle. D'une part il y a des arguments médicaux favorables. D'autre part il y a des arguments légaux contre.

The legalisation of cannabis in tablet form is being widely discussed at the moment. On the one hand there are medical arguments for it. On the other there are legal arguments against it.

4.5 Other structures

Certains le trouvent froid. D'autres, au contraire, trouvent qu'il est sympathique

Some people find him cold. Others, on the contrary, find him kind

J'admets que vous avez fait un effort ce trimestre: vous avez beaucoup à rattraper pour autant

I accept that you've made an effort this term: still, you've got a lot of catching up to do