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Lesson 202 of 240

New here? This is lesson 202 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Although, but in French

Claire has the museum audio guide script on her laptop. Sam thinks the short version is enough. She grants the point, then still wants Friday.

You will concede a fact and keep your own.

Même si, certes, and malgré tout let you agree without giving up the deadline.

By the end, you'll grant a point and still hold the line.

By the end of this lesson

Concede a point and still make your own.

  • Même si c'est chargé, je peux le faire.Even if it's packed, I can do it
  • J'avoue que tu as raison, mais j'hésite.I'll grant you're right, but I still hesitate
  • Malgré tout, je me lance.All the same, I'm going for it
  • Certes, mais ça ne suffit pas.True, but that's not enough
  • Quand même, on peut essayer.Even so, we can try
  • Ça n'empêche pas que je reste prudent.That doesn't stop me staying cautious

Scene — she keeps Friday

Same small office two metro stops from rue des Tilleuls. Claire has her laptop open and the museum brief beside it.

Sam sits across from her. The courtyard window is behind him. She is kind, and she is not moving Friday.

Claire turns the laptop toward Sam in a small Paris office, a courtyard window behind Sam.

Learn — grant it, keep yours

Six lines let you grant a point and still keep yours.

You will hear même si, certes, malgré tout, and a cautious follow-up.

  1. Sam leans across the desk with both hands open, offering to take the packed work.

    Même si c'est chargé, je peux le faire.

    Even if it's packed, I can do it

    When to use it: Say this when the week is full and you can still do the work.

    After même si, the next verb stays in the same form as a plain sentence.

  2. Claire pauses with both hands over the papers beside the laptop and does not shift them.

    J'avoue que tu as raison, mais j'hésite.

    I'll grant you're right, but I still hesitate

    When to use it: Grant that someone is right, then keep your doubt.

    J'avoue admits the other person's point before mais.

    Say it: J'avoue and j'hésite drop the e of je.

  3. Sam plants one hand on the desk and scoots the chair forward, committing.

    Malgré tout, je me lance.

    All the same, I'm going for it

    When to use it: Push ahead after you have already granted a point.

    Malgré tout sits at the start and means even so.

    Say it: The t in tout is silent.

  4. Claire rests a still palm on the desk beside the laptop, kind but unmoved.

    Certes, mais ça ne suffit pas.

    True, but that's not enough

    When to use it: Admit a fact, then say it still is not enough.

    Certes grants the point; mais keeps yours.

    Say it: The last e in Certes is silent.

  5. From behind Claire, Sam holds both hands open in a small try-anyway gesture.

    Quand même, on peut essayer.

    Even so, we can try

    When to use it: Soften a no and still offer a try.

    On here means we, as people say it out loud.

    Say it: The d in Quand is silent before même.

  6. Sam sits in profile with hands drawn back, still cautious, while Claire keeps both hands on the papers.

    Ça n'empêche pas que je reste prudent.

    That doesn't stop me staying cautious

    When to use it: Keep a caution after you have already agreed.

    Sam says prudent; a woman would say prudente.

    Say it: N'empêche drops the e of ne before a vowel.

Story — friday still stands

Watch Sam and Claire go over the script. She grants his point, then keeps Friday.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Claire turns the laptop toward Sam. The courtyard is grey behind him.
  2. SamLa version courte est plus claire.The short version is clearer.
  3. ClaireC'est un bon argument.That's a fair point.
  4. SamDonc on envoie ça ?So we send that?
  5. ClairePas encore. Ça devrait être prêt vendredi.Not yet. It should be ready on Friday.
  6. She does not change the day. Sam looks at the week on his phone.
  7. SamJ'avoue que tu as raison, mais j'hésite.I'll grant you're right, but I still hesitate.
  8. ClaireCertes, mais ça ne suffit pas.True, but that's not enough.
  9. SamMême si c'est chargé, je peux le faire.Even if it's packed, I can do it.
  10. ClaireTu es sûr ?Are you sure?
  11. SamQuand même, on peut essayer.Even so, we can try.
  12. ClaireBon. Vendredi, alors.Right. Friday, then.
  13. SamMalgré tout, je me lance.All the same, I'm going for it.
  14. ClaireTu as raison. On reste sur vendredi.You're right. We stay on Friday.
  15. SamÇa n'empêche pas que je reste prudent.That doesn't stop me staying cautious.

Practice — yes, but

Ten quick items wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    Your own week is packed. Claire still wants the script. Say that you can still do the work.

  3. Fill the gap

    I'll grant you're right, but I still hesitate

    J'avoue que tu as ____, mais j'hésite.

  4. What does it mean?

    Malgré tout, je me lance.

  5. Swap the word

    The Friday deadline is tight. You still want to give it a go.

    Quand même, on peut ____.

  6. Build the line

    That doesn't stop me staying cautious

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Find the mistake

  8. Pick the reply

    Claire says:

    J'ai raison sur vendredi, non ?

    I'm right about Friday, aren't I?

    And you reply with:

  9. True or false?

    This line says the work should be ready on Friday.

  10. What do you say?

    Claire has just explained why Friday helps the museum. You grant that it is a fair point.

Say it — hold your line

Now you're Sam at the meeting. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. ClaireÇa devrait être prêt vendredi.It should be ready on Friday.
  2. Sam (you)Grant that she is right, then say you still hesitate.

    J'avoue que tu as raison, mais j'hésite.

    I'll grant you're right, but I still hesitate

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Même si c'est chargé, je peux le faire.Even if it's packed, I can do it
J'avoue que tu as raison, mais j'hésite.I'll grant you're right, but I still hesitate
Malgré tout, je me lance.All the same, I'm going for it
Certes, mais ça ne suffit pas.True, but that's not enough
Quand même, on peut essayer.Even so, we can try
Ça n'empêche pas que je reste prudent.That doesn't stop me staying cautious
Next: lesson 203While and even

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