You might have heard about some strange French words: quoique, quoi que, bien que… They look pretty similar – “quoique” and “quoi que” even share the exact same pronunciation! And it’s easy to think they all have the same meaning — ‘although’ — in French… but in fact, they are quite different.
These words will help you make more complex sentences, and they’re not so difficult to use or understand! You just need to sit down with a pen and paper and go through today’s lesson, step-by-step.
Learning goals: This is what you’ll be able to do after watching this lesson
- Beginner: Know the meaning of ‘quoique’, ‘quoi que’, ‘bien que’, and other words from this lesson.
- Intermediate: Learn the examples in this lesson
- Advanced: Use these words to build your own complex sentences
Bonjour I’m Géraldine, your French teacher.
Welcome to Comme une Française.
I’m here to help you speak everyday modern French with confidence!
Want all the vocabulary of the lesson ?
Want to read this lesson later ?
1. “Quoique” / “Quoi que”
Quoique means “Although”
For example:
Je pense que ça va marcher. Quoique je n’en suis pas sûr.
= I think this will work. Although I’m not sure.
In spoken French, it’s most often used on its own, in a one-word sentence.
Je pense que ça va marcher. Quoique…
= I think this will work. Although…
While ‘although’ in French is quoique, on the other hand, quoi que (in two words) means “Whatever”. It’s always followed by a subject and a verb in the subjunctive.
For example:
Quoi que je fasse, je pense à toi.
= Whatever I do, I think about you.
(It’s a line from the song “Pas toi” by French singer Jean-Jacques Goldman. You can find more great French love songs here as well!)
A common use of “quoi que” is the expression “Quoi que ce soit”: it means “whatever it is” (literally), or in a sentence, “anything.”
Je ne peux plus manger quoi que ce soit.
= I can’t eat anything more.
You can also use “qui que”, which is the equivalent of “quoi que” but for people instead of things (“who” instead of “what”). Similarly, “Qui que ce soit” means “Anybody.”
Je ne veux pas voir qui que ce soit.
= I don’t want to see anybody.
2) Bien que
Bien que… means “even though…”, and it’s always followed by a subject and a verb in the subjunctive. So, not quite the same as ‘although’. It’s a bit formal.
Bien qu’il soit très grand, il ne joue pas au basket.
= Even though he’s very tall, he doesn’t play basket-ball.
As you can see, it doesn’t have much to do with the word bien (= “good”) at all!
3) Malgré
Malgré means “Despite / In spite of.” It’s followed by a noun!
Malgré son âge, elle court tous les matins.
= Despite her age, she runs every morning.
A common mistake that even some French people make is to use “Malgré” with a “que” after. Don’t do that! “Malgré que” doesn’t exist!
4) Other ways to say “although” in French
In addition to “quoique”, “bien que” and “malgré”, you can still find other ways to say “Although” in French, or imply a similar meaning. And they’re more commonly used in real-life spoken French!
For example, you can use:
- Même si (followed by the indicative), which means “Even if”
Je t’aime, même si tu es loin de moi.
= I love you, even if you’re far away from me. - Mais (= “But”)
Je mange du fromage mais pas du roquefort.
= I eat cheese, but not roquefort cheese. - Cependant / Néanmoins (= “However”) – These are much more formal
Gérard habite à Paris. Cependant, il vient fêter Noël à Strasbourg, avec nous.
= Gérard lives in Paris. However, he comes to celebrate Christmas in Strasbourg with us.
Bonus tip: Does it matter?
French grammar is like a puzzle. Some find it fun to pierce it all together. Others find the challenge frustrating and would rather do something else.
They’re all valid ways of learning! The point is: you should NOT get “stuck” on grammar. Or mistakes. Don’t lose your confidence or motivation just because grammar is hard – instead, side-step the problem.
Focus on communication first! You don’t need perfect grammar to be understood. But you need to speak (and share your thoughts and make mistakes) if you ever want to improve… Or to enjoy the French you know.
To recap:
Today you learned:
– The differences between “Quoique” and “Quoi que.”
– How to express the “other side” of an idea using “Bien que”, “Malgré”, “Même si”…
– That mistakes don’t matter that much; confidence is more important than speaking ‘perfect’ French.
What was your favorite part of today’s lesson? Let me know in the comments below.
A tout de suite.
See you in the next video!
Want to save this for later ?
And now:
→ If you enjoyed this lesson (and/or learned something new) – why not share this lesson with a francophile friend? You can talk about it afterwards! You’ll learn much more if you have social support from your friends 🙂
→ Double your Frenchness! Get my 10-day “Everyday French Crash Course” and learn more spoken French for free. Students love it! Start now and you’ll get Lesson 01 right in your inbox, straight away.
Click here to sign up for my FREE Everyday French Crash Course
Allez, salut 🙂
Ta clarté est beaucoup appréciée !
Tu as fait une erreur. * Quoique je n’en sois pas sur. Tu as dit “suis” au lieu de “sois”.
Après “quoique”, ou après “quoi que”? Ou après tous les deux?
Bonjour,
Si le remplacement par « bien que » est possible, il faut écrire « quoique », en un seul mot. Dans le cas contraire, il s’agit de la locution « quoi que ».
Belle journée,
Fabien
Comme Une Française Team
Si j’ai compris cette leçon, toutes ces phrases veulent dire la même chose?:
Quoique il pleut, je vais sortir.
Bien que il pleuve, je vais sortir.
Même si il pleut je vais sortir.
Malgré la pluie je vais sortir.
Il pleut, mais je vais sortir.
Il pleut. Cependant je vais sortir.
Il pleut. Néanmoins je vais sortir.
Cette phrase a le même sens?
Il pleut. Je vais sortir comme même.
Je comprends que «malgré que» n’existe pas, mais on peut dire ce-ci?
Malgré le fait qu’il pleuve, je vais sortir.
Bonjour Miles,
Oui c’est bien !
Il pleut. Je vais sortir comme même. –> Attention : “comme même” n’existe pas ! –> Il pleut. Je vais sortir quand même.
Je comprends que «malgré que» n’existe pas, mais on peut dire ce-ci?
Malgré le fait qu’il pleuve, je vais sortir. –> oui, tout à fait.
Merci, Geraldine. On a commence le cours “Exercise Your French” cette semaine et ça roule ma poule!
Please speak in English when you explain phrases and sentences.
Salut, Geraldine. Quelle serait la difference entre ‘Quoi qui ce soit’ et ‘N’importe qui?’ Merci
Bonjour,
Quoi que ce soit = anything
N’importe qui = anyone
well here’s a better way to ask the question — and this was my own question as I was reading your lesson, in fact:
Can you explain the difference between “n’importe quoi” and “quoi que se soit” ? Thanks!
By the way, you asked in your post, which aspect of the lesson we enjoyed the most. For me it’s, without question, the grammar (that’s how I found this page to begin with!).
Merci Géraldine, une leçon super utile ~
et j’aime beaucoup la chanson Pas Toi,
surtout la solo-guitar à la fin ~~~ 🙂
🙂
Bonjour Geraldine, it’s Michael, your English teacher here. ( just kidding ).
Thank you for this very useful lesson. Bien que your spoken English is very good ( so much better than my spoken French), may I suggest / permit me to suggest that you could improve your pronunciation of the word ‘ vocabulary’ ( a word you use a lot). I believe that there are 5 syllables in this word. The emphasis / stress should be on the second syllable, and not the third syllable.
Thank you again for your for your excellent podcasts.
Ahahah, you know accents are still too difficult for me, Michael! 😀
Thank you so much for the lessons they really help alot
Thanks for another great lesson. Just wondering, Can you say Je ne veux pas voir personne?
Bonjour Shirley,
You’d have to say “Je ne veux voir personne”. “personne” already contains the negation.
Bonjour Géraldine merci beaucoup pour cet leçon je vais essayer de utiliser souvent. Bonne journée
Anne
Merci beaucoup, Geraldine. Cette article est tres tres utile.
Bonjour Geraldine,
Thank you for your podcast.
Could you please explain to me why the same pronoun (il) is used twice in the same sentence :
Bien qu’il soit très grand, il ne joue pas au baskets.
As far as I know one should use different pronouns when using “bien que”. Please help.
Merci mille fois
Hannah
Bonjour Hannah,
No, you can use the same pronoun.
This is a fantastic lesson! Thank you, Geraldine
i’m confused. i was taught that quoique is always followed by the subjunctive, but you used the example “je pense que ça va marcher, quoique je n’en suis pas sûr.” please help me out.
huh?
Bonjour Fred,
“Quoique” is followed by the indicative when it means “but,” a direct opposition. And by the subjonctive when it’s a concession, a more nuanced “Although”. But in everyday spoken French, you can more easily use the indicative anytime as a rule of thumb.”
Je suis bresilien. Je suis debutant em français. J’etudie seule par internet. J’adore tes classes. Je vous remerci beaucoup.