The expression of opposition and concession in French

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Do you want to learn how to argue in French ? Do you want to know how to create complex and nuanced sentences? Then, it is important to enrich your vocabulary . Today, we are going to see how to express opposition and concession . There are plenty of useful linking words to translate these two nuances . Discover them in this article!


Definition of opposition and concession
Opposition links two independent facts in order to compare and contrast them.

Ex: Sean has blue eyes while his brother has green eyes.

In this sentence, we contrast "Sean's blue eyes" with "his brother's green eyes" using the logical connector "whereas " . These are two opposite facts, but independent of each other. The fact that Sean has blue eyes does not prevent his brother from having green eyes.

Concession is the act of connecting two netherlands whatsapp number data contradictory ideas or actions, one of which should prevent the other .

However, the word concession indicates that the first action ultimately did not prevent the second from taking place. The relationship between the two situations is therefore unexpected or surprising. There is something illogical about the situation.

Ex: Tom studied very hard. Nevertheless, he did not pass his baccalaureate.

There is a contradiction between "Tom studied very hard" and "he didn't pass his baccalaureate".

Normally, if a student spends a lot of time studying, he is expected to do well in his exams. This is the expected result. The word "nevertheless" is used to indicate the paradox between these two propositions .

In conclusion, the difference between opposition and concession is subtle. In fact, the same words are often used to express these two nuances.

Read on to discover the different logical connectors of opposition and concession!

Vocabulary for expressing opposition and concession
The expression of opposition and concession in French
Linking words
There are several grammatical ways to express opposition or concession. I will start by introducing linking words. This is the simplest way to formulate opposition or concession.

1. But

“But” is one of the words most used by French speakers to express opposition or concession.

This logical connector is placed between two opposing or contradictory ideas:

I hate snow, but I love skiing.
This word is often preceded by a comma.

2. Or

"Or" is placed at the beginning of a sentence or at the beginning of a clause. It is often followed by a comma.

This linking word is used to introduce new information or a decisive element in a story which contrasts with the previous sentence:

He told me he would come at noon. But it is already 2 p.m.
Mike says he hates parties. But he parties every weekend.
3. However – however – nevertheless – yet

Another way to express opposition or concession is to use the adverbs "however", "however", "nevertheless" or "yet".

The logical connectors "however", "however", "nevertheless" are mainly used in writing in formal language . These words are placed between the two propositions: