B2 Spanish grammar

Advanced Concession Clauses in Spanish

Advanced Spanish concession clauses let you concede an obstacle while controlling its strength, factual status, and register. The connector and the speaker's commitment work together to determine the mood.

Concession clause

concessive connector + mood chosen from assertion or hypothetical status

The connector frames an obstacle that does not change the main result; mood shows whether that obstacle is asserted or merely entertained.

Advanced concession patterns

Connector	Typical meaning/mood	Example
por más/mucho que	however much; often subjunctive for an ineffective variable obstacle	Por más que lo intentes, no podrás.
incluso si	even if + indicative condition	Incluso si bajan los precios, no compraremos.
si bien	although + indicative asserted fact	Si bien la oferta es atractiva, no la necesitamos.
a pesar de que / pese a que	indicative if factual; subjunctive if pending/hypothetical	A pesar de que estaba enfermo, vino. / Pese a que esté enfermo, llamará.

Do not choose mood from the connector alone; decide whether the subordinate content is asserted.

advanced Spanish concession clauses: Use por más que and por mucho que for ineffective obstacles

Use por más que plus a clause or por mucho que plus a verb to mean however much; the subjunctive presents the effort or degree as unable to change the result.

Por más que lo intentes, no podrás convencerlo.

However hard you try, you will not be able to convince him.Any amount of trying is conceded but cannot alter the prediction.

Quick check

However much she explains it, they do not understand.

Distinguish aun cuando, incluso si, and si bien

Aun cuando can behave like aunque, incluso si strongly introduces an even-if condition, and formal si bien normally acknowledges an asserted contrast with the indicative.

Incluso si bajan los precios, no compraremos; si bien la oferta es atractiva, no la necesitamos.

Even if prices fall, we will not buy; although the offer is attractive, we do not need it.Incluso si frames a condition; si bien formally concedes an asserted fact.

Choose mood after pese a que and a pesar de que

Use the indicative when the concession is asserted as fact; use the subjunctive when it is hypothetical, pending, or deliberately backgrounded.

A pesar de que estaba enfermo, vino. Pese a que esté enfermo mañana, tendrá que llamar.

Despite being ill, he came. Even if he is ill tomorrow, he will have to call.The first illness is factual; the second is pending.

Common mistakes

Por más que lo intentarás, no podrás convencerlo.

Por más que lo intentes, no podrás convencerlo.

This open concessive pattern requires the subjunctive, not future indicative.

Si bien sea útil, resulta demasiado caro. (fact asserted)

Si bien es útil, resulta demasiado caro.

Si bien normally introduces an acknowledged factual contrast with indicative.

A pesar de que estará enfermo mañana, tendrá que llamar.

A pesar de que esté enfermo mañana, tendrá que llamar.

A pending future concession uses present subjunctive.

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Advanced concession clauses FAQ

What does advanced concession clauses cover?

What is the first rule to remember?

Use por más que plus a clause or por mucho que plus a verb to mean however much; the subjunctive presents the effort or degree as unable to change the result.

What is another important B2 pattern?

Aun cuando can behave like aunque, incluso si strongly introduces an even-if condition, and formal si bien normally acknowledges an asserted contrast with the indicative.

How can I practise advanced Spanish concession clauses?

Complete the focused round, review each correction, and repeat the lesson when its skills become due again.

Continue learning

Aunque with indicative or subjunctiveChoose indicative for an asserted concession and subjunctive for hypothetical, pending, or deliberately backgrounded information.Cause clauses and speaker commitmentPresent causes as asserted explanations, frame them as shared information, or reject one explanation while supplying another.Result clausesExpress factual degree results, distinguish actual from intended consequences, and choose result connectors with the appropriate mood and register.Spanish contrast connectorsReview aunque, sin embargo, and a pesar de before adding advanced concession patterns.Spanish imperfect subjunctiveReview the tense used in contrary or remote concessions.Spanish second conditionalCompare concessions with hypothetical si clauses.