Pour autant: "that doesn't mean…" in French
Pour autant means "for all that", "that doesn't mean": Il est riche ; il n'est pas heureux pour autant. Learn its meaning, position and register with examples.
In short
Pour autant says that a conclusion doesn't automatically follow: Il a réussi l'examen ; il ne maîtrise pas le sujet pour autant (he passed, but that doesn't mean he has mastered the subject). It's mostly used in negative or questioning sentences.
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| Position | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| end of a negative clause | Il est poli, mais il n'est pas sympathique pour autant. | He's polite, but that doesn't make him friendly. |
| after the verb | Cela ne signifie pas pour autant que… | That doesn't necessarily mean that… |
| start of a clause | Pour autant, rien n'est perdu. | Even so, nothing is lost. |
What does pour autant mean?
Pour autant blocks an expected consequence. A is true; you might think B follows; pour autant says it doesn't. That makes it a key word in argument and debate, for instance to avoid hasty conclusions: Les chiffres baissent ; la crise n'est pas finie pour autant. At the start of a sentence, it means "nevertheless", close to cependant.
Il pleut, mais on ne va pas annuler le pique-nique pour autant.
It's raining, but we're not going to cancel the picnic because of that.
Le produit est moins cher ; il n'est pas pour autant de moins bonne qualité.
The product is cheaper; that doesn't mean it's of lower quality.
Est-ce pour autant une raison d'abandonner ?
Is that a reason to give up, though?
pour autantthat doesn't mean, for all that
Focus: blocks an expected consequence
ne… pas + pour autant
Il est jeune ; il n'est pas naïf pour autant.
He's young; that doesn't make him naive.
doncso, therefore
Focus: states a consequence
A, donc B
Il est jeune, donc il a peu d'expérience.
He's young, so he has little experience.
- Il est riche pour autant il est heureux.Il est riche ; il n'est pas heureux pour autant.
Pour autant needs a negative or a question to block the consequence.
- Pour autant que je sache, il est riche.Pour autant que je sache… (= as far as I know)
Pour autant que + subjunctive is a different phrase: "as far as".