Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| benché | /ˌbɛnˈke/ /ˌbɛn.ke/ |
|
| sebbene | /sebˈbɛ.ne/ | |
| ancorché | /an.korˈke/ /anˌkor.ke/ |
dated |
These conjunctions are used to express 'in spite of the fact that'.
Which one should you use?
benché and sebbene are essentially interchangeable in their meaning and usage.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
benché is a formal way to express 'although'. ancorché is a dated or highly literary form that is rarely used in modern spoken Italian. A formal way to express 'although' is also nonostante.
How does it change in a sentence?
In standard Italian, the conjunctions benché and sebbene must be followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. However, in very informal spoken Italian, speakers sometimes use the indicative mood after benché or sebbene, even though this is grammatically incorrect in standard Italian.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌbɛnˈke/
What mistakes should you avoid?
While you may hear the indicative mood used after benché or sebbene in informal speech, you should use the subjunctive mood to remain grammatically correct in standard Italian.
Did you know?
- The word nonostante functions as 'although' but is rooted in the word for 'obstacle', literally meaning 'not standing in the way'.
- Because ancorché is so literary, using it in a casual chat might make you sound like a character from a 19th-century novel.
- Italian has a structural parallel to French in these terms, as benché mirrors the French 'bien que' and ancorché mirrors 'encore que'.
Examples in context
- Benché sia giovane, è un ottimo medico.Although he's young, he's an outstanding doctor.This sentence shows how to use benché with a subjunctive verb.Tatoeba #2055834 by Sirio60, translation #662594 by bluepie88
- Sebbene gli argomenti fossero razionali, non era convinto.Although the arguments were rational, he was not convinced.This sentence illustrates the use of sebbene.Tatoeba #11726346 by Guybrush88, translation #325364 by CM
- Sebbene sia una buona macchina,voglio qualcosa di più recente.Although it's a good car, I want something more recent.This sentence demonstrates another use of sebbene.Tatoeba #11425938 by Nuel, translation #11425330 by Nuel
- Nonostante piova, esco per fare una passeggiata.Although it's raining, I'm going out for a walk.
- Benché sia stanco, continuerò a lavorare.Although I'm tired, I will keep working.
- Anche se non mi piace cucinare, ho preparato la cena.Although I don't like cooking, I made dinner.
- Sebbene sia tardi, andrò a fare una passeggiata.Although it's late, I'm going for a walk.
- Anche se pioveva, sono uscito.Although it was raining, I went out.
- Nonostante il freddo, mi piace l'inverno.Although it's cold, I like winter.
- Nonostante non mi piaccia l'inverno, adoro la neve.Although I don't like winter, I love snow.
- Nonostante il traffico, arriverò in tempo.Although there's traffic, I will arrive on time.
- Anche se non hai studiato, hai superato l'esame.Although you didn't study, you passed the exam.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are discussing their plans for the evening.
- SofiaBenché sia tardi, vuoi uscire per un caffè?Although it is late, do you want to go out for a coffee?
- LorenzoSì, mi piacerebbe molto, Sofia.Yes, I would really like to, Sofia.
- SofiaPerfetto, allora andiamo subito.Perfect, let's go right away then.
- LorenzoAspetta, devo solo prendere le chiavi.Wait, I just need to get my keys.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “although” translations and entries benché, sebbene, ancorché, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ancorché, benché, sebbene, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
