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Rewrite French concession phrases: malgré → bien que

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Turn malgré + noun into bien que + subjunctive with paired phrases, short conversations and practice that keeps the same person, obstacle and time.

In short

Use malgré + a noun phrase, or bien que + a subject and subjunctive verb: malgré sa fatigue → bien qu’elle soit fatiguée. Keep the person who faces the obstacle and the main action the same.

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A visibly tired adult woman sits listening while two teammates continue a calm discussion around a small table, no documents or writing.
Bien que Nora soit fatiguée, the discussion continues. Illustration: Atelier
Study first: one obstacle, two frames
Noun phraseFull clauseWhat stays the same
Malgré la fatigue de Nora, l’équipe continue.Bien que Nora soit fatiguée, l’équipe continue.Nora is tired; the team carries on.
Malgré l’absence de Lina, nous commençons.Bien que Lina soit absente, nous commençons.Lina is absent; we begin.
Malgré ses difficultés, Paul progresse.Bien que Paul ait des difficultés, il progresse.Paul has difficulties; Paul progresses.
1

Keep Nora as the tired person

The team’s action stays in the main clause. Only the description of the obstacle changes.

Your conversation partnerMalgré la fatigue de Nora, l’équipe poursuit la discussion.Despite Nora’s tiredness, the team continues the discussion.
YouBien que Nora soit fatiguée, l’équipe poursuit la discussion.Although Nora is tired, the team continues the discussion.Soit is subjunctive; fatiguée agrees with Nora.
2

Keep the earlier effort explicit

The past subjunctive presents the effort as completed before the main past result.

Your conversation partnerBien que Léa ait fait des efforts, elle n’a pas terminé son travail.Although Léa made an effort, she did not finish her work.
YouMalgré ses efforts, Léa n’a pas terminé son travail.Despite her efforts, Léa did not finish her work.Ses efforts belongs to Léa in this sentence. The full clause makes the completed effort explicit.
3

Ask whose delay it is

A short noun phrase can leave the actor unstated. A question supplies that missing detail before the rewrite.

Your conversation partnerMalgré le retard, nous commençons la réunion.Despite the delay, we are starting the meeting.
YouQui est en retard ?Who is late?
Your conversation partnerPaul est en retard.Paul is late.
YouBien que Paul soit en retard, nous commençons la réunion.Although Paul is late, we are starting the meeting.

How do you rewrite malgré as bien que?

Bien que Nora soit fatiguée, l’équipe continue.Although Nora is tired, the team carries on.

Focus: Nora’s tiredness

bien que + Nora + soit

Nora est fatiguée. Les autres vont bien.
Nora is tired. The others are fine.

Bien que l’équipe soit fatiguée, elle continue.Although the team is tired, it carries on.

Focus: The whole team’s tiredness

bien que + l’équipe + soit

Toute l’équipe est fatiguée.
The whole team is tired.

In the first sentence, Nora owns the obstacle. In the second, l’équipe does. To shorten a clause, keep the name where it matters: bien que Lina soit absente → malgré l’absence de Lina. The noun phrase can be short and precise.

Question 1No account needed
Rewrite: Malgré les difficultés de Paul, Nora avance.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Bien que Paul ait des difficultés, Nora avance.. Paul has the difficulties; Nora moves forward. The correct rewrite keeps both roles.

Question 2No account needed
Complete with the subjunctive of être.Bien que Lina ___ absente, la discussion continue.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

soit. After bien que, use the subjunctive: soit. The feminine adjective agrees with Lina.

Question 3No account needed
The sentence says only Malgré son absence, nous commençons. What helps you choose the subject of the new clause?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The identity of the absent person.. Find whose absence is meant before naming the subject after bien que.

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