Malgré or bien que? Despite a noun, although a clause

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Compare malgré la fatigue with bien que je sois fatigué. See matched examples, follow a short exchange and choose the right French concession frame.

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In short

Use malgré + a noun phrase for “despite”: malgré la fatigue. Use bien que + a subject and subjunctive verb for “although”: bien que je sois fatigué. The obstacle stays the same; its grammatical shape changes.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A tired volunteer continuing to arrange chairs in a community hall, a cup of tea nearby.
Continuing a task gives context to malgré la fatigue. Illustration: Atelier

What is the difference between malgré and bien que?

malgrédespite

Focus: names the obstacle

malgré + noun phrase

Malgré sa fatigue, Nora continue.
Despite her tiredness, Nora carries on.

Malgré le retard de Paul, la réunion commence à l’heure.
Despite Paul’s lateness, the meeting starts on time.

bien quealthough

Focus: says who or what faces the obstacle

bien que + subject + subjunctive

Bien que Nora soit fatiguée, elle continue.
Although Nora is tired, she carries on.

Bien que Paul soit en retard, la réunion commence à l’heure.
Although Paul is late, the meeting starts on time.

Keep the same person and the same obstacle

Study first: matched rewrites
Noun phraseFull clause
Malgré son manque de temps, Lina nous aide.Bien que Lina ait peu de temps, elle nous aide.
Malgré leurs difficultés, les bénévoles continuent.Bien que les bénévoles aient des difficultés, ils continuent.
Malgré le bruit, je me concentre.Bien qu’il y ait du bruit, je me concentre.

In the first row, son refers to Lina. In the second, leurs refers to the volunteers. In the third, il y ait du bruit says that there is noise: ait is the subjunctive of avoir. Expanding the noun phrase gives the obstacle its own verb.

Une réunion chargée
  1. Nora

    Paul est en retard. On l’attend ?

    Paul is late. Shall we wait for him?

  2. Lina

    Malgré son retard, on commence à l’heure.

    Despite his lateness, we’re starting on time.

  3. Nora

    D’accord. Bien qu’il soit absent, nous pouvons commencer.

    All right. Although he is absent, we can start.

  • Bien que sa fatigue, Nora continue.Bien que Nora soit fatiguée, elle continue.

    Add the subject and verb after bien que. A noun phrase alone fits malgré sa fatigue.

  • Malgré Nora soit fatiguée, elle continue.Malgré sa fatigue, Nora continue.

    Use the noun frame after malgré. For a full clause in careful writing, choose bien que.

Question 1No account needed
Complete before a noun phrase.___ cette difficulté, le projet avance.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Malgré. Cette difficulté is a noun phrase. It follows malgré directly.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the clause with the subjunctive.Bien que la tâche ___ difficile, elle continue.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

soit. Bien que introduces a clause with the subjunctive: soit.

Question 3No account needed
The delay belongs to Paul. Which rewrite keeps that detail?Malgré le retard de Paul, la réunion commence.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Bien que Paul soit en retard, la réunion commence.. The noun phrase le retard de Paul becomes Paul soit en retard.

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