Level B1 (Intermediate)
The French Word of the Day is bien que, meaning “although” or “even though.” Learn how to use this common conjunction to express contrast in French sentences with clear examples.
Meaning
Pronunciation with IPA
Podcast
Example sentences
Related words and lessons
Meaning
The French phrase bien que is a conjunction that means “although” or “even though.” It introduces a dependent clause expressing a contrast or contradiction with the main clause. Note that bien que must always be followed by the subjunctive mood in French.
- Bien que fatigué, il a continué à travailler. (Although tired, he kept working.)
- Je vais sortir bien qu’il neige. (I’m going out even though it’s snowing.)
Pronunciation
Podcast
Example sentences
Je travaillerai bien que je sois malade.
I’ll work although I’m sick.
This example sentence uses the verb gagner, which means both to win and to earn money. Fasse is the third-person singular form of faire (to make, to do) in the subjunctive mood.
Il gagne beaucoup d’argent bien qu’il ne fasse pas grand-chose.
He earns a lot of money although he doesn’t do much.
Bien que can also appear at the beginning of a sentence. Notice that we flipped the order of the clauses in my translation.
Bien que son accent soit horrible, il parle très courrament.
He speaks very fluently even though his accent is horrible.
Bien que + adjective translates to “despite being” or although. Notice that this sentence uses bien que in a slightly different context and doesn’t require the usage of the subjunctive mood.
Bien que timide, il arrive à parler un peu avec les gens.
Despite being shy, he manages to speak a bit with the people.
This final example sentence uses bien que in a totally different form. In French, aussi bien que translates to “as well as”. This is an example of the French comparative.
Il parle français aussi bien que mon prof !
He speaks French as well as my teacher!
Related words and lessons
- quoique – even though, although
- cependant – however, yet, nevertheless
- malgré – despite, in spite of
- pourtant – yet, however
References
