obwohl
/ɔpˈvoːl/
The German word for 'although' is obwohl.
obwohl is a conjunction used to express 'in spite of the fact that'.
Meaning: in spite of the fact that (conj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish obwohl from trotzdem.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause, obwohl requires a specific word order: the conjugated verb must be placed at the very end of the clause.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔpˈvoːl/
Did you know?
- The conjunction ob used in obwohl once functioned as a conditional word, similar to how 'if' works in English.
- The word wohl inside obwohl can also mean 'probably' or 'well' in other contexts, which can confuse a student trying to translate the parts separately.
- While obwohl is a common conjunction, it has several close cousins like obgleich and obschon that carry the same 'although' meaning.
Examples in context
- Obwohl es regnete, ging ich raus.Although it was raining, I went out.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use obwohl when describing weather and an action.Tatoeba #12466613 by mayabe, translation #1565508 by CM
- Obwohl es kalt war, ging er hinaus.Although it was cold, he went out.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use obwohl to describe temperature and an action.Tatoeba #926479 by jakov, translation #11097715 by sundown
- Obwohl er arm ist, ist er glücklich.Although he is poor, he is happy.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use obwohl to describe a person's financial state and their happiness.Tatoeba #3967857 by pullnosemans, translation #3970811 by coynejeremy
- Obwohl es regnet, gehen wir spazierenAlthough it is raining, we are going for a walk
- Wenngleich es teuer ist, ist es dennoch eine gute InvestitionAlthough it is expensive, it is still a good investment
- Ich gehe ins Kino, obwohl ich müde binI am going to the cinema, although I am tired
- Wir gehen zum Strand, obwohl das Wetter schlecht ist.We are going to the beach, although the weather is bad.
- Aber er hat viel gelernt, wenngleich er nicht genug Zeit hatte.But he has studied a lot, although he didn't have enough time.
- 134 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are talking about a hiking trip.
- HannahGehst du wandern, obwohl es regnet?Are you going hiking, although it is raining?
- LukasJa, ich möchte wandern, obwohl das Wetter schlecht ist.Yes, I want to hike, although the weather is bad.
- HannahDu bist sehr mutig, Lukas.You are very brave, Lukas.
- LukasDanke, Hannah, aber ich brauche eine Regenjacke.Thanks, Hannah, but I need a raincoat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “although” translations and entries obwohl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries obwohl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
