Linkers of contrast (sin embargo, aunque, mientras que)

El plan era bueno; sin embargo, no funcionó.The plan was good; however, it didn't work.

You already know pero for a simple "but." This lesson adds a more precise set for contrast and concession: sin embargo and no obstante for a more formal "however," aunque for "although/even though," a pesar de for "despite," and mientras que for "whereas."

Quick shortcut: sin embargo / no obstante → "however," more formal than pero, and can open a new sentence. aunque → "although/even though," usually with the indicative for a real contrast. a pesar de → "despite," before a noun or de que + clause. mientras que → "whereas," setting two parallel facts against each other.

Sin embargo, no obstante: a more formal "however"

Sin embargo and no obstante both mean "however" or "nevertheless." Unlike pero, they usually start a new sentence (or follow a semicolon), rather than joining two clauses directly:

• El plan era bueno. Sin embargo, no funcionó. (The plan was good. However, it didn't work.)
• Llovía mucho; no obstante, decidimos salir. (It was raining a lot; nevertheless, we decided to go out.)
• Quería ir; sin embargo, no tenía tiempo. (I wanted to go; however, I didn't have time.)

Sin embargo is common in both writing and careful speech; no obstante is the more formal of the two, typical of written Spanish.

Aunque: although, even though

Aunque introduces a concession — a fact that might seem to go against the main point, but doesn't change it. With a real, already-known fact, it normally takes the indicative, just like a plain statement:

• Aunque llovía, salimos a caminar. (Although it was raining, we went out for a walk.)
• Me gusta el café, aunque no todos los días. (I like coffee, although not every day.)
• Aunque es caro, voy a comprarlo. (Even though it's expensive, I'm going to buy it.)

Aunque can also take the subjunctive: the indicative presents the concessive information as asserted fact, while the subjunctive can present it as hypothetical, or as something that simply doesn't affect the outcome — that's a more advanced use with its own nuances; at this level, stick to the indicative for a contrast you know to be true.

A pesar de: despite

A pesar de means "despite" or "in spite of." It goes directly before a noun, or before de que + a full clause:

• A pesar de la lluvia, salimos a caminar. (Despite the rain, we went out for a walk.)
• A pesar de que llovía, salimos a caminar. (Despite the fact that it was raining, we went out for a walk.)
• Aprobó el examen a pesar de sus pocas horas de estudio. (He passed the exam despite his few hours of studying.)

Notice the parallel with aunque: a pesar de que llovía and aunque llovía express almost the same idea, but a pesar de additionally offers the shorter noun-only version (a pesar de la lluvia) that aunque doesn't have.

Mientras que: whereas

Mientras que sets two parallel facts against each other — closer to "whereas" than to a simple "but":

• Yo prefiero el té, mientras que mi hermana prefiere el café. (I prefer tea, whereas my sister prefers coffee.)
• En la costa hace calor, mientras que en la montaña hace frío. (On the coast it's hot, whereas in the mountains it's cold.)

Don't confuse this with plain mientras ("while," as a time connector — Mientras cocino, tú pones la mesa, "While I cook, you set the table"). In the use taught here, mientras que commonly marks a contrast between two parallel facts — though que alone doesn't guarantee that reading; context still matters, and mientras que can occasionally introduce a simultaneous-time clause too.

Common mistakes

• ❌ El plan era bueno, sin embargo no funcionó. (comma-splicing sin embargo like pero, with no full stop or semicolon) → ✅ El plan era bueno. Sin embargo, no funcionó.
• ❌ A pesar de llovía, salimos. → ✅ A pesar de que llovía, salimos. (a full clause after a pesar de needs que; without a noun, a pesar de alone can't be followed directly by a conjugated verb)
• ❌ Prefiero el té, mientras mi hermana prefiere el café. (missing que, for a contrast) → ✅ …mientras que mi hermana prefiere el café. (plain mientras reads as "while," about time, not as a contrast)
• ❌ Aunque llueva, salimos ayer. (mixing a hypothetical subjunctive with a known past event) → ✅ Aunque llovía, salimos ayer. (a real, known fact in the past takes the indicative)

Quick check

Choose the best connector:

1. (A pesar de/A pesar de que) el tráfico, llegamos a tiempo. (followed by a noun)
2. Me gusta el chocolate, (mientras/mientras que) a mi hermano le gusta el helado. (contrasting two people's preferences)
3. El examen era difícil. (Sin embargo/Mientras que), aprobé.
4. (Aunque/A pesar de) hace frío, vamos a la playa. (followed by a full clause)

Key takeaways

• Sin embargo and no obstante mean "however," more formal than pero, and usually open a new sentence rather than directly joining two clauses.
• Aunque means "although/even though," and normally takes the indicative for a real, already-known contrast.
• A pesar de means "despite" — before a noun, or before de que + a full clause.
• Mientras que means "whereas," contrasting two parallel facts — don't confuse it with plain mientras ("while," about time).